Chilli con carne y café
Back at the end of the 1800’s the San Antonio Chili Stand opened up at The World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago and has been credited as bringing chilli con carne to the wider American public after it had become a staple recipe used by the American Frontiers.
You may not know that a considered staple of the dish is a contentious point of debate. The inclusion of beans can split opinion; for example the Chili Appreciation Society International has prohibited the use of any beans in their competitions.
Luckily, we are straying far from the traditional chilli realms today with this wonderful recipe that combines the Tex-Mex favourite with something we know quite a lot about – coffee!
This dish serves 4-6 people
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoons olive oil
- 500g lean minced beef
- 1 large onion, finely chopped
- 1 Pint of dark beer
- 1 can (400g) of diced tomatoes
- 1 Espresso
- 1 tablespoon cocoa powder
- Half a hot pepper (or, to taste), seeded and finely chopped.
- 1 1/2 tablespoons ground cumin
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste
- 1/2 can of kidney beans
- 1/2 can of white beans
Method
- Add the oil to a pan, leaving it to heat for 1-2 minutes on a medium heat until hot and then add the onions and cook, stirring frequently for around 5 minutes.
- Pour in the beer and then added in the coffee
- Add the spices and pepper and stir thoroughly before leaving it to cook for a further five minutes whilst occasionally stirring the mixture.
- Brown the lean minced beef and then add it to the pan, breaking it up with a spoon, spatula, or any other kitchen utensil: stir until the mince is of a uniform size and there are no pink bits.
- Add the beans and diced tomatoes, stir again and then reduce the heat, leaving the pan to simmer for around one hour.
The addition of the coffee (and the cocoa) power really do add an extra layer of complexity to an otherwise fairly standard homemade chilli con carne.
We guarantee that you’ll notice the difference!