Friday 18 May 2007

Chilli Con Carne (of sorts) for Little Foodies

& Hotted Up Later for Big Foodies (I like my chilli hot enough to make my mouth tingle.)

This is such a staple dish. Everyone I know has their own version. My husband has his version (which I love), I have my version which I think is pretty good, and almost everyone I know eats chilli, be it meat or vegetarian. It's particularly good when you or the children have been under the weather and it's pouring with rain outside. I make a big pan of this and before adding chillies I give it to the boys served with whatever rice we have (for a really healthy option brown rice is good) I was a bit scared to add plain chocolate for a long time, but I'm a definite convert and always put it in now. It also gives me major brownie points with the boys (who are better, thank you for kind comments and e-mails).

I add so many tomatoes because we like lots of sauce. It also means there is plenty to hive some off to store in the freezer for those days when cooking isn't an option.

500g coarse ground beef mince
4 medium size onions (finely chopped)
5 cloves garlic (finely chopped)
3 tins of tomatoes (good quality with thick juice)
1 tin red kidney beans
1 tin borlotti or cannelini beans (my children don't really like too many red kidney beans, because of this I sometimes put two tins of other types of beans).
1 tablespoon worcester sauce or more or less
1 teaspoon english mustard
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
2 squares of plain dark chocolate
1 tablespoon olive oil
Some fresh herbs roughy chopped (I used 2 sage leaves, few sprigs of thyme and marjoram)
(1 tablespoon crushed dried chillies or any type of chilli that you like to add later for big foodies)

On a low heat fry the onions and garlic in the olive oil for 5 minutes
Add mince and spices and brown for about 5 minutes
Add tomatoes, worcester sauce and mustard & mix through
Add beans, herbs and chocolate, give it a mix
Cook on a low heat for 30-45 mins (or you can do in the oven on a low heat for ages).

Serve to Little Foodies then when you're ready for yours add the chillies and heat through. I love it with chunks of crusty bread with loads of butter on which is how it was served to me as a child.

14 comments:

Dea said...

YUM! I use chocolate too... makes all the difference! Our recipes are almost the same. I top with raw onions, creme fraiche and cheese... now I'm getting hungry...

Amanda at Little Foodies said...

Hi Deborah, That topping sounds yummy. Amanda

FH said...

Hi Amanda,my kids LOOOVE Chilli con corne or Chili as we call it here in US! Looks delicious:))

Padmaja said...

I never made chilli con carne and after looking @ your recipe, i will definitely give it a go!!
thank you

Anonymous said...

Chilli Con Carne used to be what we had every Saturday night as a kid, well once my mom discovered it anyways, but her's was not very good. It was basically a tin of tomato soup, a tin of beans, some onions and minced beef, spiced up with a bit of oregano and chili powder. I never liked it, but I bet I'd like this. It does look very good. Have you ever tried pork instead of beef? Glad to hear little and small are much better!

Amanda at Little Foodies said...

Asha, thanks for stopping by. It was pretty tasty, thank you

Padmaja, do and let me know what you think or what twist you give it. I always like to know how everyone does theirs.

Marie, I think we had a similar version but maybe with some more spices.I have really fond memories of good times wtih family and friends eating it, so probably didn't matter if it wasn't that good. I'll try it with pork. Thank you also re: Little and Small.

Amanda

Kelly-Jane said...

Mmm, chilli, I like it too, and I think you are right just about everyone eats it. Might even have some in the freezer!

Glad to hear the boys are feeling better. :)

Culinary Cowgirl said...

Looks fabulous...chocolate always helps...it gives a certain depth to spicy dishes.

foodiemama said...

looks yummy! glad i finally got some time to take a look at your blog!

Amanda at Little Foodies said...

Hi Culinary Cowgirl, Great isn't it and putting chocolate in kids food (albeit a few pieces) - what a result!

Hi Jenifer (foodiemama), thanks :) speak soon

Amanda

Freya said...

Good luck with your year of culinary globetrotting - your menu will be a better place for it I'm sure, although the food you cook now already looks great (including this chilli - that's Tex-Mex covered then!!)!

Anonymous said...

For some reason I can't leave a comment on your latest entry. I think it's wonderful that you are taking your children on a tasting adventure around the world. I never got to travel much as a child and I do admit that most of the travelling we did with our own children was only to visit grandparents and such and even then we ended every trip with the words ... "Never Again!", such was the joy of travelling with five children in tow...not much fun in the getting from points A to B, ever. I would have loved to been able to introduce them to flavours from around the world! Pity I never thought of it! Can't wait to hear of your foodie adventures and even more to see the pictures and the recipes!

Amanda at Little Foodies said...

Thank you Freya and Paul. Mmmm Tex Mex, I can see I'm going to have to make sure we have some things which are new to us. Starting with Morocco as I know they'll eat it all.

Thank you Marie, I've enabled comments to work now. Don't know why I checked the do not allow comments bit.
Amanda

Unknown said...

Great recipe - I followed it but added molasses, brown sugar and brown vinegar in stead of the chocolate. My (ex-South African, now Canadian)family loved it!

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