Chilli Con Carne

A big pot of Chilli Con Carne will keep the wolf from the door on a blustery chilly winter's night. This spicy comfort food is inexpensive and filling. Leftovers taste even better the next day.

Be careful not to make it too fiery if there are children about, they tend to like mild. So adjust the amount of hot chilly sauce to suit their taste. Adults can turn up the heat as much as they like.

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon of oil

1 large onion (chopped)

2 rashers of streaky bacon (roughly chopped)

2 garlic cloves (peeled and crushed)

500 grams of minced beef

2/3 cup of beef stock

400 gram can of chopped tomatoes in tomato juice

400 gram can of red kidney beans (drained and rinsed)

2 tablespoons of tomato puree.

1 teaspoon of sugar.

1/2 teaspoon of dried oregano

Hot chilli sauce/ chilli powder to your taste (I used 1 teaspoon of Hot Samoan Boys Chilli Sauce, then added some more at the end of the cooking time as we like it hot)

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method:

Heat the oil in a frying pan and cook the onions and bacon over a medium heat for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently until the onions are softened. Add the garlic and fry for another minute. Set this mixture aside.

In the same frying pan brown the minced beef, stirring it with a spoon to break it up, for about 5 minutes. All the pink bits should be gone.

Transfer the mince to a large saucepan. 

Add the onions, bacon and garlic.

Stir in the tomatoes in their juice, the beef stock, the oregano, tomato puree, a dash of the hot chilli sauce, and salt and pepper to taste.

Simmer gently on a low heat with the lid on for about 45 minutes, stirring from time to time. It should be thick but still moist.

Add the red kidney beans and continue to cook, again with the lid on, over a low heat for 10 more minutes.

Adjust the seasoning at this stage. You may want to add more chilli sauce as well as more salt and pepper.

To serve put tortilla chips in large bowls and spoon over the Chilli Con Carne. Top with lots of grated cheddar cheese and spoonfuls of sour cream. Or simply serve with some boiled rice.