Chilli Con Carne …

You know, it’s SUDDENLY occurred to me that, given the internet’s notorious for ALL sorts of things, I’ve never posted what I’m about to post.

No.

Just NO!

Before anyone says anything about me, and entertaining ladies in corsets!

I don’t think my chest would take it, for STARTERS … !

At ANY rate, I haven’t actually posted up me recipe for chilli con carne, have I … ?

Well …

Not on here, at any rate …

You see a couple of thing’s got me thinking I should put it up, though.

For starters … ?

Seeing Serendipity has a food-themed blog, where’s she posted up a couple of recipe ideas is one thing. Couple that with the fact that Patrice and Adrence all always mentioning food at some point in my twitter timeline: Patrice has been threatening chocolate cake for sometime, and it seems that Adrence’s sister, @MichelleApong, is doing burgers as we speech … !

Hmmm …

Saves ME doing a dinner.

But I’m burbling, aren’t I … ?

At any rate …

The other reason I mentioned it … ?

Is the only other time I posted the recipe was on the now gone Addicted To Discworld, a Terry Pratchett fan-site I joined, many years ago: one of the first I signed up to, when I first went online, a decade ago, and one that’s — to my regret — now gone down.

At any rate: here’s the recipe …

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800 to 1000 grams of canned chopped tomatoes.

250 grams of lean minced beef: you can replace this with chicken or Quorn mince, of course.

1 large pepper.

1 large onion

400 grams of drained, washed red kidney beans.

3 chopped chilli peppers.

1 clove of garlic

Spices to taste

The way I’ve always done it is relatively simple, as well: single guy on his own, remember … ? Simple, quick and easy, and I know I’ve impressed at least two women over the years, with variations on this …

First, I’ll make sure the chopped tomatoes are in a pot and on a low heat.

Next, I’ll chop and fry the onion, until it’s soft, and put that in the pot with the tomatoes.

Then chop up the pepper and add that. And the chilli pepper’s, as well: you can vary the amount, of course, depending on how spicy you like things.

Drain the kidney beans, and add those*.

I usually add cumin, chilli powder, coriander, and or paprika, while the tomatoes are stewing: the amount, as well as the what varies, depending on what I’ve got in my cupboard. And I’ll have to admit, I’ve got a reputation for being a touch … …

Berserk …

When it comes to the spicesª …

Now, while THAT lot’s stewing, fry off the mince: you can lightly spice the mince with chilli powder, or what ever, while you doing this: usually, if I’m doing a chicken or Quorn chilli, I find soaking it in lime juice, overnight, helps: it adds a nice, zingy counter-point to the tomatoes.

Once that’s done, add the mince — chicken, or Quorn — to the pot.

And let it stew for an hour or so.

That lot … ? Should feed three to four people … !

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Now, traditionally … ?

Traditionally, of course, one has rice with that lot, although I’ll — more often than not — have either a baked spud, chips, or bread.

Down to you, what you have.

Either way … ?

Enjoy it … !

* Law 43H of Nik Nak’s Laws For Smooth Talking Bar Stewards — one of the Unmentionable Laws — says, distinctly, “Do Not Feed Movie-Night Adrian Kidney Beans: you’ll get a Look”. Just so you know.

ª To the point where Dr Kevin has a bad habit of running away screaming whenever I mention it …