Beef Chilli with Bitter Chocolate

Watched the Hairy Bikers make this while I was trapped in the kitchen ironing husband’s shirt and thought it looked scrummy (the beef, not the shirt which was actually a bit dog eared at the cuff). A slow cooked dish is always greeted with much licking of the lips in our house, especially on a nippy day. And, sadly, that is what we are faced with each morning in these late summer days – but am fervently praying for an Indian summer, so roll on September!

BEEF CHILLI WITH BITTER CHOCOLATE

Serves 6 – 8, takes two hours.

Ingredients
4 tbsp vegetable oil
500g/1lb 2oz good-quality beef steak, finely diced
500g/1lb 2oz good-quality beef mince
1 white onion, peeled, finely chopped
1 red onion, peeled, finely chopped
2 sticks celery, trimmed, chopped
1 dried chipotle chilli
1 tbsp dried chilli flakes
½ tbsp chilli powder
2 tsp dried oregano
3 tbsp light brown sugar
2 x 400g/14oz cans chopped tomatoes
500ml/17fl oz beef stock
1 x 400g/14oz can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 x 400g/14oz can black-eyed beans, drained and rinsed
sea salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper
75g/3oz plain chocolate, minimum 70% cocoa solids, roughly chopped
bunch fresh coriander
cooked steamed rice
8 tbsp soured cream
4 spring onions, trimmed, finely sliced

How to prepare/serve

Heat two tablespoons of the oil over a medium to high heat in a large, heavy-based pan with a tight fitting lid.
Fry the diced beef steak in batches until browned all over, setting each batch aside on a plate using a slotted spoon.
Add another tablespoon of oil to the pan and add the beef mince, frying until browned all over. Remove the mince from the pan using a slotted spoon and set aside with the beef steak.
Add the remaining tablespoon of oil to the pan and fry the white onion, red onion and celery for 3-4 minutes, or until the onions have softened but not browned.
Stir in the chipotle chilli, chilli flakes, chilli powder and oregano until well combined. Cook for a further two minutes.
Return the diced and minced beef to the pan, then stir in the sugar, chopped tomatoes, beef stock, kidney beans and black-eyed peas. Bring the mixture to the boil, then reduce the heat until the mixture is simmering. Cover and continue to simmer over a low heat for 2-3 hours. (Alternatively, preheat the oven to 140C/280F/Gas 1 to cook in an ovenproof dish for the same amount of time.)
Just before serving, season the chilli with crushed sea salt flakes and freshly ground pepper. Stir in the chocolate until melted, then stir in the chopped coriander.
Serve the chilli with a bowl of steamed rice and top each serving with a dollop of soured cream. Garnish with the sliced spring onions.

 

If you would like to watch Si and Dave’s video of them preparing this dish click here