Chilli con carne is one of those winter staples that seem a lot trickier and daunting to make than they actually are.
Jamie Oliver simplified the process even more for a "super easy" recipe that is comforting but doesn't take hours of cooking.
Sharing his recipe from the cookbook Jamie's Ministry of Food on his website, the author and restaurateur pointed out that each serving of this filling dish only has 353 calories.
He said: "This hearty, all-time classic chilli con carne recipe is hard to beat - delicious!"
Prepared as per his instructions, this recipe yields six servings, making it ideal for hosting dinner guests or just a weeknight with the family.
Ingredients
Two medium onions
Two cloves of garlic
Two medium carrots
Two sticks of celery
Two red peppers
olive oil
One heaped teaspoon chilli powder
One heaped teaspoon ground cumin
One heaped teaspoon ground cinnamon
One 400g tin of chickpeas
One 400g tin of red kidney beans
Two 400g tins of plum tomatoes
500g quality minced beef
Half bunch of fresh coriander (15g)
Two tablespoons balsamic vinegar
Method
Peel and finely dice the onions, garlic, carrots, and celery-don't worry about precision; just chop until they're small. Cut the red peppers in half, remove the stems and seeds, and chop them roughly.
In a large casserole dish, heat two tablespoons of oil over medium-high heat. Add the chopped vegetables along with chilli powder, cumin, cinnamon, and a generous pinch of sea salt and black pepper.
Cook for about seven minutes, stirring frequently, until the vegetables are softened.
Drain the chickpeas and kidney beans, then add them to the pot. Stir in the tomatoes, breaking them up with the back of a spoon, and pour in enough water to match one of the empty tomato cans. Add the minced beef, breaking up any large clumps.
Set aside the coriander leaves, finely chop the stalks, and add them to the mixture along with balsamic vinegar. Season with another pinch of sea salt and black pepper.
Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and let it simmer with the lid slightly ajar for about an hour, stirring occasionally, until it thickens and reduces a bit.
Serve with fluffy rice or couscous, some crusty bread, or over a baked potato, topped with yogurt and lime wedges for squeezing.
Garnish with the reserved coriander and some fresh chilli, if desired.
