Superb X Chilli

I’m going to be manning a chilli stand at a charity Christmas Fair this year, so I’m subjecting the boy to a practice run. It’s from a book called Texas on the Half Shell, which I found at a car boot sale a few years ago. It includes a recipe for making chilli with Armadillo!

1.5kg minced beef

425g Passata or chopped tomatoes

350ml water

1tsp Tabasco

3tbsp chili powder

1tbsp dried oregano

1tsp ground cumin

6 garlic cloves, chopped

1tsp salt

1tsp paprika

4 dried New Mexico or California chillies

4 dried Chipotle chillies

4 dried Piquin chillies

1 can kidney beans

Firstly I have adjusted the amount of chillies from the original down a little bit - not too much – I want it hot but not off-putting for all my customers. I’ve also amended the quantities to metric so don’t worry if you can’t get ingredients in these exact proportions. Chilli is forgiving. Passata is a little thicker than American tomato sauce so add more water if you think it needs it. Finally I substituted some of the dried chillies with Chipotles to give the chilli a smoky flavour.

The boy is interested in the project but at this stage, not interested enough to help me. Start with browning the meat and then put it into a large pot along with the pasata and enough water to cover the meat by about a centimetre.

Add everything else except for the dried chillies and beans. Stir it al together. Once it’s combined add the dried chillies, being careful not to break them. People can choose whether to pick them out or eat them. The boy will certainly pick his out, but he won’t do it as he goes, he will spend ages inspecting the entire plate, turning things over with his fork until he is satisfied he has removed every trace.

Simmer for 1 ½ hours. Cool it down and let it rest for at least another hour. Skim off the grease.

Add the beans and get the heat back up. Make a thickener of 2tbsp cornflour and water and simmer it through for another 25 minutes.

We’re serving with rice – which to be fair, the boy did make –in the rice cooker. As well as some sour cream and Pico di Galo salsa on the side.

It is hot but not mind-blowingly so, and with all danger of coming across a whole chilli removed, the boy seems happy with his supper.