THE LAST SUPPER " A fiery and sublime Chilli "

In a recent interview for THE IRISH TIMES  , I was asked " But if you only had a tenner to go shopping with.....  I answered that I would get the ingredients for a fiery Chilli Con Carne and a Corona beer to wash it all down . And ever since , everyone have been asking me " Well , when are we getting the recipe ? So , finally here is my recipe to which I have made a couple of tweaks which I think elevates it from the delicious to the sublime with a perfect balance of heat , earthiness and sweetness . The joy of this recipe is, it takes half the time to prepare as most of the cooking is done in the oven or in a slow cooker , leaving you time to enjoy a cold beer or a cocktail
Originally from Texas not Mexico as is widely believed , the famous Chilli Con Carne  or Tex Mex Chilli has been an international favourite for ever .
In Mexico , where this dish doesn't actually feature the Red kidney beans we are used to , Instead chopped apples or plantain is added to provide sweetness and sometimes the inclusion of Cocoa adds colour to the dish and gives a subtle smokey flavour. But the beans at the end of the day, add substance and protein without the need for heavy Carbohydrates .
A good Chilli is not just " a little bit of this and a little bit of that ". If this is going to be your starting point, then you will reap a bit of this and a bit of that . Don't say that  you haven't been warned . The trick in preparing a good Chilli is all in the  ingredients and spices and best made the day before as it will intensify the flavours .
The following ingredients is a must for this recipe.

The Smoked Maldon Salt and The Smoked Paprika add  smokiness to the dish .
 Fresh Oregano or Dried Mexican Oregano for aroma .
Star Anise , Cumin, Cinnamon stick for earthiness
I also use a mixture of Lean Mince Beef & Round steak for texture .
Chipotle Chilli & Smoked Paprika Paste  for heat

OK, here we go   and you will find a list of Suppliers at the end
Ingredients :

• 500 grms of lean Mince Beef
• 500 grms of Round Steak / Stewing beef or another cheap cut
• 2 Onions, chopped
• 4 cloves of garlic , chopped
• 2 red chillies , chopped with seeds . ( I am very anti deseeding Chillies, you loose the heat factor but also the flavour , use 1/2 or 1/4 of the amount instead .)
• 1 tsp of Chipotle paste
• 1/2 tsp of Cayenne pepper
• 1 tsp of Cumin
• 1 Cinnamon stick
• 2 Star Anise
• 1 tbsp of Smoked Paprika
• 3 Bay leaves
• 1 tbsp of dried Mexican oregano
• 2 tsp of smoked sea salt
• 1/4 tsp of black pepper
• 2x tin of chopped tomatoes
• 1 tin of red kidney beans , drained
•  Juice of 1 lime
• 300 ml of veg stock / water

Pre Heat Oven to 120 c.

In a large Casserole , gently saute the onions in 2 tbsp of oil  for about 5 mins , until translucent . Add the  Chillies and garlic and fry for a further couple of mins . Add the beef and star anise, continue to fry , breaking up any lumps until well browned all over. Do this quickly and fast as you want to seal the meat, preventing it to stew into it's own juices.  Now add in all the other spices and chilli paste, stirring well. Add the chopped tomatoes , herbs , salt , pepper & lemon juice . Add the stock and bring to a simmer , Cover with a lid and cook in the oven. After 2 hrs  , stir in the beans and check the seasoning, sometimes , you may have to add a bit of sugar for extra sweetness depending on the sweetness of your tin tomatoes , and cook for a further 45 mins - 1 hr  until the beef is tender .
You could also cooked this in a slow cooker for 6-8 hrs .
Now , put your feet up , sip on your margherita as  Dinner is taking care of itself . BLISS !!!!!!!!!

• Serve with Boiled Rice or Baked Potatoe , Hearty Green Salad, Sour Cream , Tomato Salsa and Corn Chips .

Left overs make great fillings for Tacos along with shredded lettuce , Avocado salsa, grated Cheese & Sour Cream

Suppliers :

• Smoked Paprika ( pimenton ) @ Black pig Donnybrook
• Smoked Maldon Sea Salt @ Donny brook fair # Superquinn
• Mexican Oregano @ My Mexican Shop .ie
• Chipotle Chilli paste @ Tesco finest

Tagged: world cuisine-mexican- chilli con carne-beef-irish times





©2012-2013;Robert Jacob;jacob'scrackers;jacobscrackers9; All rights reserved.