Chilli Con Carne recipe anyone...?

[tazmosis]

I'd really love a from scratch Chilli recipe - I usually use a Schwartz Hot Chilli mix but would like to be able to make it myself.

Thanks in advance

This is the one I always use. V. easy and v. delicious.

Instead of your schwarz mix, use 1tsp chilli powder, 1/2 tsp cumin and 1/2 tsp of oregano. You can add more to taste. And believe it or not a couple of chunks of dark chocolate make all the difference.

RockStock's is very similar

Random but nod to Nigella's recipe. I use wok.

Slice & gently fry (no oil) chorizo
add diced onion & mince
then add tin tomatoes, glass red wine, glass water, tin black eye beans, finely chopped fresh chilli (no seeds), salt, pepper, heavy shake of tabasco sauce,
leave to simmer for 40 mins, add more wine or water if necessary,
add chopped fresh basil just before serve

A good - and more authentic - spice blend for chilli consists of
chilli powder, lots of paprika, ground cumin, and a bit less ground coriander and ground cinnamon, plus some oregano. I also add in a bit of cocoa powder which seems to add a bit of mystery! As a nod to the flavour of a mexican mole sauce.

I always start chilli with say, 2 onions, one green pepper and 2 sticks celery, pulsed in magimix. Fry slowly till caramelized, then add 3 or 4 chopped cloves garlic. Fry gently. I then add all my spices, then the meat, fry, then add tomatoes and beans. Probably a bit of tabasco and chipotle paste too.

Chorizo not authentic but god it tastes good in chilli! Also I like a mix of borlotti and kidney beans.

Usually needs plenty of seasoning and a good squeeze of lemon juice at the end.

I wouldn't let basil anywhere near my chilli and also wdn't use wine. I use a bit of beer if we have any lying around then give the end of the bottle to DH. I make a lovely crunchy salad and put a bit of fresh coriander in it for herby freshness. Nice contrast to comforting chilli. Also, put some sweetcorn in yr rice - it is so good with the chilli!

Thanks for all the recipes! I shall start trying them out.

Chopped onion, minced beef - fry.

Add cumin, cinnamon, tsp cocoa, worcestershire sauce, chilli, garlic, passata. Dash of lime juice. Splash of red wine occasionally.

Simmer until thick.

Add kidney beans, frozen peppers, mushrooms, sweetcorn (only way I get any veg into DH) and simmer for another 5 minutes.

You've got some great suggestions here for normal chili. In terms of authenticity though, after a visit to the mexican chili stall at borough market last year I made this Texan chili which absolutely blew our minds away and was like nothing on earth we had ever tasted.

In terms of flavourings it required the following for 2kg of cubed braising steak: chiles, soaked and pureed (either 8 ancho, or 6 ancho, 2 pasilla, 2 costena, 2 guajillos and 4 chiles de arbol), 6 cloves garlic, 1 cup strong coffee, 1 bottle beer, cinnamon, cloves, allspice, coriander, cayenne pepper, cumin, 2 chipotles in adobo and a Mexican hot chocolate tablet, grated.

No tomatoes or beans. Serve with grated cheddar, diced onions and tortillas.

It is insanely good and definitely incredible (in that we were incredulous how many chilis we were using, and yet it still wasn't mind-blowingly spicy). We still talk about it to this day and if I ever get up steam to go back to borough or see anchos in the supermarket, we will have it again.

Tyel I want to like chilli with no tomatoes or beans in it, but I can't! I just love both too much! But I will admit that your version sounds very tasty. Really you need to live in America or indeed, Mexico, to have all those chillis hanging around for a tasty midweek meal...

titfer I'm sure you could easily add both tomatoes and beans - it would make it quite a bit soupier, alter the taste a bit I would think and add a sharpness that isn't there when you just use meat and seasonings. I don't believe in following recipes to the letter if you know what you like

In other news, I have found a website which sells all these chiles and more so I may order some online...mexgrocer.co.uk. And they have tins of proper refried beans too, and gluten free corn tortillas which are really difficult to find here. I feel my credit card coming out...

This is the one I do and it is by far DH and DD's favourite. It can be made vegetarian using veggie/quorn mince too. It can be made hotter by addng some fresh chillis towards the end. It freezes really well and always tastes fab on reheating. I serve it with crusty bread, rice, jacket potatoes or flour tortillas, and then with plain yogurt or soured cream and grated cheese.
Can be cooked on low heat for a few hours in a slow cooker.

Ingrediants:

500g Mince
Peppers/courgettes/onion/aubergine - roasted veg of choice (optional but good for veggie one)
Tin of mixed beans (nicer than just kidney beans)
Box/Jar of passatta
Sweet chilli sauce - 2 or 3 tablespoons to taste
1 tsp ground cumin, ground coriander and ground cinnamon
3 or 4 crushed cardamon pods

Method:

• Brown mince for a few minutes
• Add vegetables if using and cook for a couple of minutes
• Add beans and stir, heat through
• Add the spices and passatta
• Stir in sweet chilli sauce
• Cook for approx 20-30 minutes on low heat

To reheat:
Cook in pan for approx 20 min

Jamie Oliver's green chilli (from his America book) is fabulous. Not a conventional tex-mex chilli (it's dry, not saucy, and has no beans in), but it is lovely served in lettuce leaves instead of wraps or with rice, and takes about 30mins from beginning to end (and a lot of that is lazy stirring).

Recipe here