Chili con Carne

Method

1. Cut the onion and bell pepper into 1 cm pieces and mince the garlic. Scrape the seeds and white ribs out of the jalapeño and chop it finely (wash your hands afterwards and don't touch your eyes). Tip the beans into a sieve, rinse under running water and drain.

2. Heat the oil in a heavy 20 cm pot on medium-high heat and add the beef in large clumps. Leave it untouched for 3 min so the underside browns, then break it up with a spatula and cook for 4 min more, until no pink remains and it has browned bits. If there's a lot of fat, spoon some off.

   Add in this stepVegetable oil 1 tbspGround beef (15–20 % fat) 300 g

   medium-high heat

3. Lower to medium heat, add the onion, bell pepper and jalapeño and cook for 6 min, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom, until soft. Add the garlic for the last minute.

   Add in this stepOnion 150 gGreen or red bell pepper 100 gFresh jalapeño (optional) 1Garlic cloves 2

   medium heat

4. Turn down to medium-low heat, add the chili powder, cumin, oregano, smoked paprika and tomato paste and stir constantly for 1 min. Toasting the spices in the fat deepens their flavour, but burnt spices taste bitter, so keep stirring.

   Add in this stepChili powder (American blend) 1½ tbspGround cumin 1 tspDried oregano ½ tspSmoked paprika ½ tspTomato paste 1 tbsp

   medium-low heat

5. Stir in the tomatoes, stock, brown sugar and a little salt and pepper and bring to a boil on medium-high heat, about 4 min. Lower to low heat, set the lid slightly ajar and simmer for 40 min, stirring right to the bottom every 10 minutes so nothing sticks.

   Add in this stepCanned crushed tomatoes 240 gBeef stock 180 mlBrown sugar ½ tspSalt to tasteBlack pepper to taste

   medium-high heat→low heat

6. Add the beans and simmer uncovered on low heat for 15 min more, until thick enough that the liquid doesn't run off a spoon. Taste and adjust the salt and pepper.

   Add in this stepCanned red kidney beans, drained 200 gSalt to tasteBlack pepper to taste

   low heat

7. Turn off the heat and let it stand for 5 min so the flavours settle. Ladle into bowls and top with cheddar, sour cream and scallions.

   Add in this stepShredded cheddar 40 gSour cream 2 tbspScallions, sliced 2 tbsp