My Favourite Chilli

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Chilli is a regular staple where I’m from and every family would have their own recipe. Some people prefer it to be really soupy while others serve up more of a hearty, rustic stew. Some love chunky vegetables, while others love a more meat-heavy version. Spicy, sweet, savoury or a mixture of all of the above are all possible. Basically it comes down to preference, but it’s an easy dish to make when you need to feed a lot of people or want to have some leftovers for lunch throughout the week.

This is my favourite way to make chilli. I’ve changed and perfected it over the years, adding this, taking away that and this is how I like it best. I’m really excited to share this recipe with you, but don’t be afraid to put your own personal stamp on it. Add diced peppers, swap the minced beef for turkey, swap all the meats for jackfruit & chickpeas, try a different type of beans or add some onions. The possibilities are endless, so get creative if you like and this recipe can definitely get you started.

Recipe Notes

Before we get busy making this delicious, warming dish, there are a few things to consider.

1. Adding cocoa powder and cinnamon to a beefy chilli might sound a bit odd or gross, but you’re just going to have to trust me on this one because it is delicious! The cocoa and cinnamon elevate the flavours of the meat giving it a richer depth of flavour that makes a cold day feel warmer.
2. You can make this as spicy or as mild as you like. The chorizo already brings a little heat, so if you prefer something milder or if you’re making this for children, you might want to eliminate the chilli flakes.
3. You can use any cheese you like for serving or none at all, but shredding the cheese yourself is the best option if you can manage it and it will melt better. You’ll find some additional serving ideas at the very end. Skip the cheese completely to make this dish Dairy Free.
4. Don’t get too caught up on measurements. If the pack of beef you bought is 400g instead of 500g, that’s absolutely fine. Likewise if you have 250g of chorizo instead of 190g, feel free to use it all. These measurements are simply guidelines that definitely work, but a little more or less in some parts of the recipe won’t make a massive difference.
5. Food waste is not delicious or cute at all, especially with current inflation and high demands on food sources. This chilli can be stored (once cooled) in a sealed container in the refrigerator and warms up beautifully in the microwave for lunches or dinners. You can also freeze it! Simply wait until it cools, freeze it in a suitable container or bag. When you’re ready to eat chilli again, it’s there for you!

INGREDIENTS

• 2 tablespoons garlic oil (or cooking oil of your choice)
• 190g or thereabouts of cooking chorizo, roughly chopped
• 500g minced/ground beef (preferably 5%, but any will work)
• Salt & black pepper to taste
• 1 tablespoon mild chilli powder
• 1 teaspoon dried chilli flakes (optional)
• 1 tablespoon cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 small tin (198g) sweetcorn, drained
• 1 tin (400g) kidney beans, rinsed & drained
• 1 large jar (700g) tomato passata
• Shredded cheddar cheese to serve (optional)

METHOD

1. Heat the oil in a large pot or casserole with a lid over medium heat. When it’s hot, add the chorizo and cook, stirring occasionally until it starts to colour the oil orange and crisp up a little bit. Then add the minced beef and break it up with a wooden spoon.
2. Season the meat with salt & pepper and cook while stirring until it begins to look mostly browned. If you’re using 5% beef mince you can carry on with the following instructions. If you’re using a ground beef with a higher percentage of fat, at this point you probably need to pour off some of the fat in the pan if there’s a lot of liquid.
3. Add the chilli powder, chilli flakes, cocoa powder and cinnamon. Stir to coat the meat as much as possible with the paste that will form from the newly added ingredients.
4. Pour in the passata and stir. Fill the passata jar about halfway with water and swirl or shake with the lid on to get the dregs. Pour this water into the chilli and stir.
5. Dump in the sweetcorn and kidney beans and stir to combine. Bring this whole mixture to a boil and then cover with the lid, reduce the heat to low and leave to simmer for about 25 minutes.
6. When the 25 minutes is up, taste your chilli and adjust seasoning as necessary. Serve piping hot sprinkled with grated cheddar cheese.

ALTERNATIVE SERVING IDEAS

• My favourite way to serve this is spooned onto a pile of tortilla chips with plenty of cheese or alternatively to have the chips on the side to dunk as needed.
• Ladle onto a bed of white or brown rice to incorporate some carbohydrates or to stretch the quantity to feed more people.
• Serve with garlic bread or toast on the side for soaking up all the delicious juices in the bowl.
• Elevate a jacket potato by topping it with a big scoop of chilli and a sprinkling of cheese.
• Make a batch of this chilli to use as the base for a different take on my recipe for Cheesy Cottage Pie.