CHILLI CON CARNE

A good slow-cooked beef and bean chilli always goes down a storm in my house. Make a big batch of this on Sunday, then freeze any leftovers for another night. It’s brilliant spooned over a baked sweet potato, says Jamie

INGREDIENTS

• 4 onions, chopped
• 3 carrots, chopped
• 4 celery stalks, trimmed, chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1/4 cup (60ml) olive oil
• 2 each red and yellow capsicums, seeds removed, chopped
• 1 each red and yellow chillies, chopped, plus extra sliced red and yellow chilli to serve
• 600g beef brisket or chuck steak, cut into 3cm cubes
• 1 tbs ground cumin
• 1 tbs ground coriander
• 1 tbs smoked paprika (pimenton)
• 1 tbs cocoa powder
• 3 x 400g cans chopped tomatoes
• 400g can adzuki beans (from delis – substitute extra kidney beans)
• 2 x 400g cans kidney beans
• 6 small sweet potatoes
• Coriander sprigs, lime wedges and guacamole, to serve

• METHOD

  • 1
    Preheat oven to 170°C. Grease a baking tray and line with baking paper.
  • 2
    Place the onion, carrot, celery and garlic in a food processor and whiz until finely chopped.
  • 3
    Heat 2 tbs oil in a large flameproof casserole with a lid over high heat. Add capsicum and chilli, and cook, stirring, for 3-4 minutes or until softened. Add beef and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes or until browned all over. Add chopped vegetable mixture, spices and cocoa powder. Season, and cook, stirring regularly, for 15 minutes or until the vegetables have softened.
  • 4
    Add the tomatoes and beans along with their canning liquid. Bring to the boil and cover, then transfer to the oven. Cook for 3 hours 30 minutes or until meat is tender and the sauce is dark and rich. In the final 1 hour 45 minutes of cooking, prick sweet potatoes all over with a fork and place on the prepared baking tray. Drizzle with remaining 1 tbs oil and roast for 1 hour 30 minutes or until tender.
  • 5
    Remove chilli con carne and sweet potato from oven. (If chilli has not reduced enough, bring to the boil over high heat for 15 minutes or until reduced.)
  • 6
    Make an incision along the length of each sweet potato and carefully squeeze open. Divide half the chilli con carne among sweet potatoes. Sprinkle with coriander and sliced chilli, and serve with lime wedges and guacamole.
  • 7
    Remaining chill con carne will keep refrigerated for up to 5 days or frozen for up to 3 months