Comfort food is something we all turn to, especially when it’s colder and darker. In our new series we hope to bring you simple but delicious dishes to warm you up this winter.
It’s that time of year when we frequently turn to food as a source of comfort.
On those dark, cold nights – and days sometimes – when you are curled up on the sofa in your comfies, heating on, your thoughts turn to food and what will warm you up inside.
For this series, we are going to be bringing you some of the very best comfort food recipes.
These recipes will result in delicious dishes made quickly and easily – because, let’s face it, if you have to spend ages cooking it, then there is nothing comforting about that!
This week, we are bringing you a simple chilli con carne recipe.
I first made this at school more than 30 years ago – and it’s a recipe I stick to now too.
With very few ingredients, this can be cooked in about an hour – or if your make it on a weekend morning in your slow cooker just leave it on the “keep warm” setting and pop back and forward for a bowl at your leisure.
I don’t use any oil in this recipe, utilising the fat that comes off the mince instead.
Easy Chilli Con Carne
(Serves 4)
Ingredients
- 400g mince
- 1 medium onion finely chopped
- 1 carrot finely diced
- 1 stick of celery finely diced
- 1 clove of garlic finely chopped
- 1tsp of chilli powder or 1 chilli finely chopped
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1stp mixed herbs
- 1 400g tin of chopped tomatoes
- 1 beef stock cube
- 100mls water
- 1 tin of kidney beans drained
Method
- Brown your mince off in a medium sized pot, then add the onions, carrot and celery and cook for a few minutes
- Add the garlic and cook for another couple of minutes.
- Add your chilli, paprika and mixed herbs and cook for another few minutes.
- Now add your chopped tomatoes, stock cube and water and bring to the boil before simmering for about an hour.
- After 45 minutes add the kidney beans.
- After an hour’s cooking your chilli is ready to serve with anything you like – rice, crusty bread, baked potato or simply in a boil with some grated cheese on top.
If you want to make this in your slow cooker, brown the mince in a frying pan then add all the ingredients to the slow cooker, set to low and leave for about six hours. Don’t add water if using slow cooker.
Obviously, if you like your chilli hotter, then add more powder or chillies.
For a vegetarian version, simply swap the mince for a meat-free alternative and similarly the stock cube.
