Talk:Chili con carne numero uno

Original recipe & quantities

My version is here.

6 to 8

Ingredients

• ¼ cup of olive oil
• 2 large onions peeled and roughly chopped (4 cups)
• 675 g (1.5 lb) minced beef (ground beef)
• 675 g (1.5 lb) minced pork (ground pork)
• 2 teaspoons sea salt
• 1/3 cup mild chili powder - see Chef's notes
• 3 tablespoons fresh cumin seeds, toasted and ground to a powder in a coffee grinder
• 3 tablespoons dried Mexican oregano
• 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder (Green & Black's or similar quality product)
• 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon powder
• 1.5 teaspoons cayenne pepper (hot chili powder) - see Chef's notes
• 4 cups tomato juice
• 3 cups beef stock
• 8 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
• 1 to 3 tablespoon coarse yellow cornmeal for thickening
• 2 cans red kidney beans

Method

1. In a wok or large frying pan, heat the oil and gently cook the onions for 20 minutes until soft - don't brown them.
2. Meantime, in a separate pan, add a small amount of the oil from the onions, just to prevent the meat from sticking and add the pork, beef and salt. Cook for 20 minutes also.
3. Add the onions to the casserole and mix with the meat.
4. Stir in the chili powder, cumin, oregano, cocoa powder and cayenne pepper. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring often.
5. Add the beef stock and tomato juice, bring to the boil, reduce the heat, cover and simmer for 1 hour.
6. Taste and adjust for seasoning and then simmer for a further 30 minutes.
7. Add the garlic and thicken with cornmeal if required. Add the beans and simmer for 5 minutes then serve.

Chef's notes

Regarding the quantities of chilli powder stated in this recipe, 1/3 cup of mild chilli powder is around 6 tablespoons - I don't have any chilli powder mild enough to use in those quantities! Schwartz sell a 'mild chilli powder', recommended use 2 teaspoons for 4 servings, 6 tablespoons of that will probably be too hot. I think I will try 5 tablespoons of strong paprika powder and then add hot chilli powder to taste.