Author Notes
This is - as the name suggests - a chilli of restorative powers. There are few things more reassuring than a huge pot of warming chilli on the stove. A reassurance here that should be interpreted as boring. It is the type of food that can be made lazily at the start of the week and you can rest easy knowing that, as the days pass, all the flavors here mellow and deepen and it is transformed into something almost entirely (deliciously) different. —David Kiernan
Ingredients
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1 pound
Lean minced beef
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4 ounces
Good-quality cooking chorizo
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1
Onion, pureed or finely diced
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1
Celery, pureed or finely diced
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1
Carrot, chopped
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1
Red Pepper, chopped
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2
Cloves of garlic, minced
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2
Red chillis (deseeded to taste)
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2 teaspoons
Ground cumin, coriander, cinnamon, oregano & chilli powder
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1/2 teaspoon
Cocoa powder
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6
Cardamon pods (shells removed)
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2 tablespoons
Sweet chilli sauce
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2 tablespoons
Tomato puree
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1 tablespoon
Worcester sauce
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1 tablespoon
Brown sugar
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1 teaspoon
Coarse sea salt or half of pouring salt
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20 ounces
Canned tomatoes
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14 ounces
Can of kidney beans in chilli sauce
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1 shot
Instant espresso or very strong coffee
Directions
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In a large lunch lady style pot, add 1 tbsp of olive oil and fry the chorizo and red chillis on a medium heat for about 5 minutes until chorizo starts to give off its orange paprika oil.
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Next add the onion, celery and garlic mush (this is most easily achieved using a food processor), along with a pinch of salt, and saute for a further 5 minutes, stirring frequently.
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Add the carrots and red pepper to the pot and cook for a further 5 minutes.
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Meanwhile, mix together the cumin, coriander, cinnamon, chilli powder, oregano, cocoa powder, cardamon seeds, brown sugar, salt and a good grinding of black pepper in a small bowl.
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Turning the heat up slightly, add the minced beef to the pot along with the bowl of spices and, using a wooden spoon, begin to break down the beef and cook for a further 5 minutes until the beef is evenly browned.
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Add the tomato puree, worcester sauce and sweet chilli sauce along with the canned tomatoes and red kidney beans and give everything a big stir to combine.
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Bring everything to a boil and turn the heat right down to the lowest setting.
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Clamp on a lid and leave to simmer for at least a half hour, stirring occasionally.
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Serve with a generous grating of red cheddar, sour cream and chopped coriander along with softly toasted white bread baps, tortilla chips, rice or potatoes, or simply just as it is with a bowl and a spoon for instant comfort.
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