CHOCOLATE CHILLI - serves 4
(I'm hoping this is going to get my son eating it Chilli again)
1 onion diced
2 carrots diced
1 stick of celery diced
25g unsalted butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon finely chopped medium-hot red chilli
2 tablespoons fresh oregano leaves (or marjoram)/use 1 tablespoon dried
4 garlic cloves peeled and chopped
1 heaped teaspoon ground cumin
800g minced beef
150ml red wine (optional but add a bit more stock if not using)
1 x 400g tin chopped tomatoes
1 tablespoon tomato puree
150ml chicken/beef stock
sea salt
1 x 400g tin kidney beans drained and rinsed
30g dark chocolate (apx 85% cocoa) chopped
2 handfuls coarsely chopped fresh coriander plus extra to garnish
warm taco shells/cooked rice to serve
1. Whiz the onion, carrots and celery in a food processor/finely chop them.
2. Heat the butter and olive oil in a frying pan and add the vegetable mixture, the chilli and the fresh oregano if using. If using dried herb, add at the next stage. Fry together for apx 10 mins until softened and glossy. Stir frequently and adding the garlic and cumin near the end.
3. Add the minced beef, turn up the heat and fry off, stirring frequently until meat is browned through. Add the wine, tomatoes, tomato puree and stock (and dried herbs if using). Season with salt.
4. Bring to the boil, then simmer over a low heat for 1 hour. Stirring now and again and adding the beans 10 mins before the end. The juices should be rich and well reduced. At this stage if you're serving with rice and not filling the tacos, and prefer more juice, add a bit more stock.
5. Skim off any excess fat, add the chocolate and stir until melted. Then stir in the coriander and season.
6. Serve with extra coriander, with tacos/ladled over rice.
