Chilli con Carne

 

Chilli con Carne

Brief Description

A hearty, comforting chilli made with beef mince, vegetables, tomatoes, beans and warm spices, finished with red wine and balsamic for depth. Robust, flexible and ideal for feeding a crowd.

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Key Details

• Serves: 6

• Prep Time: 20 minutes

• Cook Time: 1 hour

• Total Time: About 1 hour 20 minutes

• Difficulty: Easy

• Dietary: Gluten-free option

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Ingredients

For the chilli

• 2 onions, finely chopped

• 2 garlic cloves, crushed

• 2 carrots, finely diced

• 2 celery stalks, finely diced

• 2 capsicums, chopped

• 1 bay leaf

• 500 g beef mince

• 2 × 400 g tins chopped tomatoes

• ½ beef stock cube

• ½ tsp dried oregano

• 1 tbsp paprika

• 1–2 red chillies, finely chopped, or 1 tsp chilli powder

• 1 tsp ground cumin

• Freshly ground black pepper

• 1 × 400 g tin chickpeas, drained and rinsed

• 1 × 400 g tin beans (borlotti or kidney), drained and rinsed

• 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar

• 200 ml red wine

• 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce

Gluten-free option: ensure the stock cube and Worcestershire sauce are gluten-free.

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Method

1. Heat a little oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onions and cook until soft.

2. Add the garlic, carrots, celery and capsicum and cook for 5–7 minutes, until softened.

3. Add the bay leaf, paprika, oregano, cumin and chillies. Stir well and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.

4. Add the beef mince and cook, breaking it up, until browned.

5. Stir in the chopped tomatoes, crumble in the stock cube, add the red wine and Worcestershire sauce.

6. Bring to a simmer, then reduce the heat and cook gently for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

7. Add the chickpeas, beans and balsamic vinegar and simmer for a further 15–20 minutes.

8. Season with black pepper and adjust heat and acidity to taste. Remove the bay leaf before serving.

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Alternative method

Slow cooker:
Brown the vegetables and mince as above, then transfer everything to the slow cooker. Cook on low for 6–8 hours. Stir in the balsamic for the final 30 minutes.

Instant Pot:
Use sauté mode to cook the vegetables and brown the mince. Add remaining ingredients except beans. Pressure cook on high for 15 minutes, natural release 10 minutes, then stir in beans and balsamic and simmer briefly on sauté mode.

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Storage

• Freezer: Yes, up to 3 months

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Serve with

• Rice or couscous

• Cornbread or tortillas

• Sour cream, avocado or coriander

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Source

Family recipe.

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Tags

main, beef, stew, gluten-free option