Midweek madness. Why do the days feel shorter (even though we are a month into Namibian spring and the days are getting longer)? I am so looking forward to a long weekend away at the coast with the family, a break from the ‘new normal’ that engulfs us so quietly yet so effectively. Time so slow down. Regather. Rest.
Sometimes our stop-doing list needs to be bigger than our to-do list.
Patti Digh
So today is for a quick lunch, before an afternoon of rugby and netbal practice and the never ending to-do-list. You call it Chili, we call it Chili Con Carne. Whatever you know this as, the alluring smell as a pot of Chili bubbles away on the stove is a universal language!!
Whip it this up as a quick meal, though if you have time to slow cook you’ll be rewarded with ultra tender beef and an extra luscious sauce. It looks like Bolognese ( see my Lasagna recipe) and is cooked like Bolognese – except there’s a load of Tex-Mex spices added.
My favourite way to serve Chili is with corn chips with sour cream, cheese and coriander, guacamole and fresh tomato salsa, because it’s a crazy good combination. It’s like a deconstructed Nachos – but saucier. You can also serve it with flour tortillas, rice, or on top of baked potatoes – whatever you have on hand on a Wednesday afternoon. This comforting and filling recipe for Classic Chili Con Carne is a great family meal or for serving to friends for a casual dinner party. I can assure it is a great crowd (and teenager) pleaser- perfect for game day!
Recipe on page 2
Best Chili Con Carne
INGREDIENTS
1/2 pound streaky bacon
1 1/2 pounds venison/beef ground meat
1 large onion, chopped
2 Tablespoons canola oil (optional)
1 Tablespoon ground cumin
1 Tablespoon ground coriander
2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper (or more if you like it hot)
1 stick cinnamon
2 green chillies, split down the middle
4 garlic cloves, chopped
1 bay leaf
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
2 x 400 g chopped tomatoes
1 cup beef stock
2 x 14oz red kidney beans
rice, nachos,baked potato, flour tortillas or sweet potato, to serve
fresh coriander, to garnish
sour cream and guacamole, to serve
Cheddar cheese, grated
People who love to eat are always the best people
Julia Child
INSTRUCTIONS
Chop the bacon into small pieces then, over a medium heat in a large pot, sauté it until cooked and the fat is released into the pot. Remove the bacon and turn the heat up to high.
Add the ground meat to the pan and brown, making sure the meat has caramelised before adding the onion. If extra oil is needed, add some canola oil.
Fry until the onions are cooked then add all the dry spices, the chillies, garlic and the bay leaf.
Add the fried bacon to the mince and spices and cook for 5 minutes.
Add the chopped tomatoes and simmer until some of the liquid in the canned tomatoes has cooked out, intensifying the flavour in the chilli.
Pour in the stock and combine gently. Simmer for 1 hour, taking a peek every now and again to ensure the sauce doesn’t cook dry. Add more water or stock if that’s the case.
After an hour, the meat will be tender and the sauce intensely flavoured.
Add the drained red kidney beans to the chilli and cook for another 30 minutes.
After the final 30 minutes of cooking, turn off the heat and allow the chilli con carne to cool slightly in the pot. For a deeper flavour and thicker texture, leave the chilli to cool overnight and reheat the next day.
Garnish with fresh coriander, a sprinkling of Cheddar cheese, a dollop of sour cream and some guacamole.
Serve with rice, nacho chips, flour tortillas, baked potato or a sweet potato.