CHILLI CON CARNE

1 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 carrot, grated
1 stick celery, chopped
Handful of coriander, stalks finely chopped and leaves set aside for finishing
½ – 1 red chilli
2 cloves garlic
2 tsp sugar / maple syrup 

*Below we use the individual spices but you don’t have to – you can get some chilli seasoning from the spice aisle of the supermarket or you can just use beans in chilli sauce – totally up to you
2 tsp ground cumin
½ tsp ground coriander
½ tsp dried chilli flakes
½ tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp cinnamon 

500g beef mince
optional: 2 tsp cocoa
500g passata or chopped tomatoes
200ml beef stock
salt & pepper
1 x 400g tin kidney beans 

• Place the onion, carrot and celery in a heavy based pan with 1 tbsp olive oil. Cook over a low heat for 5 mins until they begin to soften
• Add the coriander stalks (reserve the leaves for finishing), chilli, garlic, maple syrup/sugar and spices and cook for a further 2 mins
• Turn up the heat, add the mince, break it up with a spoon and cook for 5 minutes until it has browned
• Stir though the cocoa and add in the passata and stock. Season with salt and pepper.
• Reduce the heat, cover and simmer for 1 hr, stirring occasionally and adding a little water if it looks as though it is drying out
• Once the chilli has been cooking for an hour, add in kidney beans. Cook for a further 20-30 minutes
• To serve, scatter over the coriander leaves and serve rice / tortillas / corn chips / dips. 

VEGETARIAN BEAN CHILLI (SERVES 6-8)

1 tbsp  olive oil / coconut oil
1 onion, diced
1 sweet potato, ½ grated, ½ diced
1 pepper, diced
2 carrots, diced
2 sticks celery, diced
Fresh coriander, stalks and leaves
½ red chilli
2 cloves garlic, crushed

*Below we use the individual spices but you don’t have to – you can get some chilli seasoning from the spice aisle of the supermarket or you can just use beans in chilli sauce – totally up to you
2 tsp cumin
½ tsp coriander
½ tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp cinnamon

2 tsp sugar / maple syrup
2 x 400g tinned beans (kidney/cannellini/adzuki/chickpeas/butterbeans)
2 x 400g passata or tinned tomatoes
4 tbsp red lentils
Optional: 2 tsp cocoa powder
Optional:  tinned sweetcorn
Optional: chopped frozen spinach
Squeeze of lime
Salt and Pepper

• Place the oil, onion, sweet potato, pepper, carrots and celery in a heavy pan and cook on a low heat for 5 mins.Add the coriander stalks (keep the leaves for later), chilli, garlic, spices and sugar and cook for 2 mins.
• Drain and rinse the beans and add the passata, red lentils and cocoa. Season with salt and pepper.
• Simmer for 30-40 minutes until cooked and thickened. If you would like the sauce to be a bit thicker, in a separate cup mix 1 tsp cornflour with 1 tbsp water, then pour into the chilli and cook for a couple of minutes. Alternatively, using a stick blender, blitz a small portion of the chilli and stir through.
• Stir in the sweetcorn and frozen spinach and cook for a further 10 minutes.
• Stir through a squeeze of lime and top with the coriander leaves