Serves 6
The definitive Chilli Con Carne recipe, deserving of your homegrown chillies. This is a huge step up from the student favourite, hot and flavoursome and makes for a great winter warmer. Chilli freezes very well so why not make up a double batch? The flavours in the chilli meld together over time so you will actually find Chilli Con Carne better the day after you make it.

Ingredients
2lbs full fat beef mince
2 onion, chopped finely
2 can kidney beans, depending on your
2 cans tomatoes
4 tablespoons sundries tomato paste
1 teaspoon sugar
6 - 8 garlic cloves crushed or minced
4 Jalapeno chillies, chopped finely
2-4 Scotch Bonnet or Habanero chillies, chopped finely
5 teaspoons cumin seeds, toasted and crushed
3 teaspoons smoked 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.