Topic: The Ultimate Ultimate Chilli Con Carne

[Fi5H]

The Ultimate Ultimate Chilli Con Carne

Serves 6

Ingredients

1kg beef mince
2 onion, chopped finely
2 can kidney beans
2 cans tomatoes
4 tbsp tomato paste
1 tsp sugar
6 - 8 garlic cloves crushed or minced
4 Jalapeno chillies, chopped finely - Adjust to taste
2-4 Scotch Bonnet or Habanero chillies, chopped finely - Adjust to taste
5 tsp cumin seeds, toasted and crushed
3 tsp paprika
2 glasses red wine
Small bunch coriander
Soured cream to taste

Method

Start by searing the minced beef in a very hot, heavy-based frying pan, oiled with a little olive oil, seasoning well. Once it has been cooked on both sides, almost to the point of burning, remove from the heat and place to one side.

Turn the heat down to a medium heat and gently fry the onion in a little more olive oil until it is translucent. Then add the paprika, cumin and garlic and fry for a few minutes before adding the tomatoes, tomato puree, wine and mince.

At this point add the teaspoon of sugar or if you feel like chilli with a twist, add a square of dark chocolate instead. It will impart a richness of flavour to the chilli.

Turn the heat down very low and simmer for an hour, stirring occasionally. Then add the kidney beans and simmer for a further hour.

Add all of the Jalapenos and two of the minced Scotch Bonnets, cook for a few minutes and test for heat levels. You can always add more chillies but you cannot take them away. Add more Scotch Bonnets according to taste, remembering that it will get a little hotter as they infuse. Cook for a further 10 minutes to let the chilli heat infuse the dish and serve with coriander leaves chopped and sprinkled over the top and a dollop of soured cream. If you do not have soured cream, mix half natural yoghurt and half single or double cream and you?ll never know the difference.
The flavours in the chilli meld together over time so you will actually find Chilli Con Carne better the day after you make it.

[George]

The Ultimate Ultimate Chilli Con Carne

Is that your opinion having tried this recipe, or simply a quote from the source recipe? Where does the recipe come from, please?

[Fi5H]

when i bought some Bhut Jolokia chilli seeds i got a booket with info all about chillies, at the back was this recipe, ive made it twice now and its the best i`ve ever tasted.. so yea for me its the ultimate chillie con carne.. but use dark chocolate instead of sugar..

[George]

when i bought some Bhut Jolokia chilli seeds i got a booket with info all about chillies, at the back was this recipe, ive made it twice now and its the best i`ve ever tasted.. so yea for me its the ultimate chillie con carne.. but use dark chocolate instead of sugar..

Many thanks. I'll be trying this recipe for sure. I'll split in in two, using sugar in one and dark chocolate in the other.

[Malc.]

I do like Chilli Con Carne but prefer not to have it so hot, this sounds quite fiery. How do you rate the heat Fish?

George i'd definitely go with the chocolate, I always add some to mine when I cook it. Chilli and chocolate compliment each other very well.

[Fi5H]

hi Axe,  I have to be very careful with the heat factor as there's only me in the house that likes it really hot, the first time i made it was for the family and i used 4 medium heat chillies and it was perfect for the family, the second time i not only stuck to the recipe but added more chillies and it was perfect.. if your not sure you can always add the chillies when you add the kidney beans that will reduce the heat level a bit.. and leave it for a day and it gets better..

[Malc.]

I'm going to give this recipe a go but I will reduce the quantities of chilli overall. Some of my attempts in the past have turned quite mild if not too mild but have always tasted good, so i'm not too worried if I don't get enough heat into it the first time. If you see what I mean.

How much chocolate do you add to the dish?

[Fi5H]

the recipe says 1 square but i put 2 in, (that mean a square piece from a bar) I use a good high coco content chocolate. Another thing is when you have cooked it for the 2 hours and your ready to put your heat into it, add the chillies cooks for a min or 2 then taste it.. rinse and repeat until you get the desired heat.. you can also distinctly taste the cumin so if you want to reduce the amount thats up to you.

[Malc.]

I like the way that the recipe is measured to taste, the wife will certainly appreciate this. We both like the taste of cumin so i'll be following the recipe as close as is possible. I might try it first with braising or stewing steak but will definitely add 2 squares. 

[gazman1976]

looks like a very strange recipe, might give it a bash , never really had chille con carne before as i dont really like mince lol