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.