This always feels like a knockout dish, yet still delivers the comfort and ease you associate with a good bowl of chilli. It’s easy but so very delicious. Don’t take my word for it – try it yourself! This is the only chilli recipe I make now, and it feels like one of my recipes.
Ingredients
3 tablespoons of olive oil
500g beef mince
500g good beef steak, in chunks
1 large red onion, diced
1 large white onion, diced
2 sticks celery, diced
1 yellow pepper, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
1.5 tablespoons of Chipotle chilli flakes
1 tablespoon of chilli flakes
1 teaspoon of mild chilli powder
2 teaspoons of dried oregano
3 tablespoons caster sugar
A pea sized blob of black treacle
500ml of good beef stock
2 tins of chopped tomatoes
1 tin kidney beans, drained
I tin butter beans, drained
2 bay leaves
85g of good dark chocolate (the best you can buy, minimum of 85% cocoa solids)
Teaspoon of sea salt (Plus extra to season at the end of cooking)
Freshly ground black pepper
Method
Preheat your oven to 140°c (120° if fan assisted). Move shelves etc now to accommodate your large dish.
Heat a tablespoon of the olive oil in a large casserole dish. Once got, add the chunked beef steak in batches to brown and seal. Don’t be tempted to do this on one go; the meat will broil rather than getting a gorgeous deep crust. Make sure the pieces have plenty of room in the pan. Set aside.
Add another tablespoon of olive oil to your hot casserole, and add the mince to brown too. Set aside.
Add the remaining olive oil and add the onions, celery and peppers, stirring often. You don’t want these to catch, but soften slightly, usually around three minutes.
Add the Chipotle chilli flakes, chilli flakes, chilli powder and oregano to the pot, and stir through. Allow to cook for a few minutes.
Add the meats back to the pan and stir to coat with the spice and vegetables. Then pour on the beef stock, tinned tomatoes and add the sugar, black treacle, beans and two bay leaves. Season with a teaspoon of sea salt and s good twist of black pepper, stir through and allow to come to the boil.
Once at a gentle boil, pop the casserole lid on and put in the oven, for around three hours – you want it to be thick and umptious, with the steak chunks tender and melting. (If the steak seems tough, add another thirty minutes in the oven).
Take out of the oven, and carefully remove the bay leaves. Add the 85g of chocolate, block by block, whilst stirring all the while. Leave to cool slightly if serving immediately. Add seasoning to taste.
I like to serve mine the day after I’ve made it, as I find it always tastes so much better. Serve with boiled rice, soured cream and chopped chives – also it’s delicious on a jacket potato with a lightly dressed salad.