When it comes to serving a lot of people, chilli is a miracle dish. You throw all the ingredients into a cast iron pot and leave them to cook down into a tender, flavourful and filling stew. The secret ingredient here is time. It’s a game changer – letting the beef take on a melting texture and leaving the ingredients to meld into a luscious sauce that you won’t be able to stop eating. Serve it over rice or quinoa, or wrap it up with some chunky guacamole and sour cream in a soft tortilla.
Serves: 4
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme (or 1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves)
- 1 teaspoon ground cayenne
- 400g beef
- 2 onions, peeled and sliced
- 1/2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 garlic clove, peeled and minced or grated
- 1 x 400g can chopped tomatoes
- 250ml beer
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 large sweet potato, peeled
- 400g canned kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 pepper, de-seeded and sliced into strips
To serve:
- sour cream
- fresh coriander
- lime wedges
- rice, cooked
- or quinoa, cooked
- tortilla chips
Method
Preheat the oven to 160 degrees C. Mix together the sugar, salt, cloves, cinnamon, paprika, cumin, oregano, thyme and cayenne in a bowl. Rub all over the beef and set aside.
In a large ovenproof pan with a lid, saute the onions in the oil over a medium heat until translucent. Add the garlic and cook for one minute, then stir in the tomatoes, 250ml water, the beer and the vinegar. Add the beef to the pan, cover with the lid, place in the oven and leave to cook for 1.5 to 2 hours.
Cut the peeled sweet potatoes into roughly 2.5cm chunks. Uncover the pan and add the sweet potatoes, beans and peppers. Cover with the lid again and return to the oven for a further hour. When ready to serve, shred the meat in the pot using two forks, and stir it into the sauce. Serve with sour cream, chopped coriander, lime wedges and rice, quinoa or tortilla chips.
Recipe taken from Top With Cinnamon by Izy Hossack
Izy Hossack is an 18-year-old with a passion for bittersweet chocolate, lattes, pecans and maple syrup. She is also the author of the award-winning blog Top with Cinnamon, where she shares her love of cooking a multitude of culinary delights, ranging from the indulgent to the wholesome and hearty. In Top With Cinnamon, Izy shares her favourite sweet and savoury recipes, perfect for lazy weekends, speedy suppers and impromptu gatherings. Breakfast like a king on courgette (also known as zucchini) cornmeal pancakes, then take the healthy route with a halloumi, quinoa and pomegranate salad for dinner. Feed a crowd on chicken tacos with peach BBQ sauce, or make it lunch for one with udon mushroom and noodle soup. Izy’s cooking is all about balance: you’ve got to find a way to justify the cake! And with recipes such as boozy mocha coconut layer cake and crustless plum and almond tarts, you’re not going to be able to resist. Featuring a selection of gluten-free recipes and healthy options, as well as step-by-step tutorials on pastry-making and other essentials, Top With Cinnamon has something to suit everyone. This is fun, flavoursome cooking with a modern, fresh twist. You can purchase Top With Cinnamon at cooked.com.
Published by Hardie Grant Books.
Related articles:
Chilli Con Carne
Moroccan Beef Stew
Beef Ragu with Rice