Slow Cooked Chilli Con Carne

Don’t worry we include stove top details to in case you don’t have a slow cooker.

INGREDIENTS

1 Large Onion – peel and dice

1 Red Pepper – take the green stalk off, cut in half, remove the seeds and then cut into strips and finally small dice

2 Garlic Cloves – remove the papery skin, finely grater or finely chop

2 Celery Sticks – remove any fibrous bits but topping and tailing the sticks and peeling away from you- then cut into small dice

1 red chilli – remove the top, slit down the long side and carefully scoop out the seeds, then finely cut into fine circles starting with the narrow end to the top – if you want a very hot chilli then leave the seeds in but be warned!  It will be hot to the taste.

1 Beef Stock Cube

Devon Minced Beef – remove from package and cover with a sheet of kitchen paper to remove any excess liquid

400g Tin of chopped tomatoes

400g Red Kidney beans, open drain off original liquid, rinse in fresh water then leave to drain.

1 Tablespoon of tomato Puree

1 teaspoon of paprika

1 teaspoon of ground cumin

1 teaspoon of ground coriander

1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon

125g Basmati Rice to serve.

STORECUPBOARD

Oil for cooking.

METHOD

1] Using a deep fry pan, put 1 Tablespoon of oil in it and place over a medium heat, add to it the onion, garlic, pepper, celery, and red chilli and cook until softening, should take around 5 minutes if the diced vegetables are not too big.

2] sprinkle your spices, the paprika, ground cumin, ground coriander, ground cinnamon to the vegetables and stir to coat the vegetables – you are just really releasing the aroma from the spices.

3] Add your mince beef to the fry pan, pushing down to break it into smaller pieces with the back of your spatula or wooden spoon. Increase the heat slightly to brown the mince for approx. 10 mins

4] Reduce the heat to medium again and crumble the beef stock cube over the meat and vegetable mixture, add the tomato puree and 200ml of water, tin of chopped tomatoes.  At this stage if you have a slow cooker transfer to the slow cooker and cook on low for approx. 6 to 8 hours.  If you are continuing to cook on the hob, turn the heat down to low and simmer the mixture with a lid over it for approx. 50 minutes, the sauce should be thick and the meat and vegetables well cooked.

5] 20 minutes before the end of your cooking time, remove the lid from your pan, stir in your rinsed and drained red kidney beans.  Re cover and leave them to heat through.

6] Once you have added your kidney beans cook your rice by your preferred method.  My preferred method is In another pan, add a spot/spray of oil and put onto a medium heat, add your dried basmati rice and stir to coat the grains of rice, add 300 ml of water, reduce heat to the lowest setting, cover and simmer for 20 mins – the rice is cooked when the water is fully absorbed.