Chilli Con carne, Jacket Potato and Chivey Sour cream

Here I am using my normal Chilli recipe (as opposed to my special one with Mole Poblano Paste – recipe to be added soon) and using A Nice OVEN BAKED - Not microwave-oven- baked, pleeease, unless you really have to! – Jacket Potato. Sour cream and chives on top add a pleasant coolness and enhances the yummy comfort food feeling of the dish, but is, of course, optional! J

Chilli:

Lean Minced Beef 500 grams, Or Minced Venison, I find Venison gives a richer flavour, but of course it means eating lovely Deer. I get mine from the fortnightly farmers market thanks to the boyf’s lovely Mother-ship.

1 Large Onion, pref White.

2 Large Garlic Cloves

1 Big Red Pepper

1 Big Green Pepper

Kidney Beans

1 – 2 tins of Chopped Plum Tomatoes, I find the ones with the black label are tastiest. The tomatoes and tomato paste you use can really make or ruin this dish, so I think it’s best, with things like Chilli, or Bolognese, to buy the nicer brands when the purse strings allow. J

½ - 1 tube of Tomato Puree – again ‘black label’ is my personal choice!

1-2 Fresh or dried Chillies, chopped.

Chilli Oil if possible, if not any oil you have is fine – 2tbsp.

Oregano, Cracked Black Pepper, Chilli Powder (ones with cumin in), a bit of Herbs De Provence if you have it/want it.

Jacket Potato – 1 each or 2 mahoosive ones, just make sure you have enough time to cook them, here is a guide to various ways of getting the perfect potato. I use my perfect way in the method below!

Sour Cream and Chives, you can buy this in most supermarkets but I like to get light Sour Cream and add my own fresh chives from the garden when I can.

Method:

Depending on the size of your potatoes, you may want to put these in half hour before you start cooking if they’re going to take 1 ½ hours or more. However the longer you leave the Chilli the yummier it gets, so if you want to make the Chilli the day before and then heat up in the last 20 mins of baking the potatoes the next day, that’s fine too!

1. Preheat the Oven to 180 degrees. Wash the potatoes with water, pat dry with kitchen towel and rub rock salt into the still damp skin, wrap in tin foil and put your taties in the oven.

2. Dice Onion – I usually chop mine into 2 cm squares to save time and keep the nice chunky texture but if you prefer yours smaller then it’s up to you. Crush the garlic, chop the chilli finely and add with the onion into a pan with a knob of butter and a teaspoon of oil.

3. Put your mince in a separate pan with the rest of the oil and brown off over a medium heat, chopping it into small pieces with your spatula/spoon in the pan when you first put it in and as you see any big lumps of meat when flipping.

4. Meanwhile chop the peppers into a similar size to the onions, and add to the veg pan, add extra oil if it’s sticking and put on the lid until the meat is done.

5. Add the cooked meat to the veg pan, and immediately squeeze in your tomato puree and herbs. I always put at least a tablespoon of each herb to maximise the yummy flavours. Stir vigorously so all the meat (and veg) is coated.

6. Pour in the tinned Tomatoes and stir again. Add any extra herb or pepper to taste. Leave to simmer very gently on a low heat.

7. Check your potatoes – I unwrap the foil now to maximise crispy-skin-ness. If they are taking a while, piercing a metal skewer through the potato and putting it in the oven will speed things up.

8. Add the Kidney Beans Leave everything to simmer/bake until the potatoes are ready. Prep your chives if you need to.

9. Once they’re done, cut open the Potatoes, mash with a fork and add a little butter and black pepper if you want to make it nice a moist and fluffy.

10. Pile your Chill on the plate next to it, and serve with the Sour Cream and chives on top of the potato, the Chilli, or in a bowl with a spoon for people to add themselves.

11. Eat! J