American cuisine # 1 - Nick's Chili con Carne

When I first moved to London in August 2007, I shared a flat with 3 other people and we all ate chili con carne that winter almost every night. Yes, every night. Nick, the then head chef of the house (not only did he cook, but he also did the dishes after, how cool is that?) first made this recipe about a week after he'd moved in September that year. I remember it quite clearly as our dumb-ass landlord had somehow managed to kick us all out of the house for the day so he and a buddy played some sort of geeky boardgame whose name escapes me now... TALISMAN!! Got it, phew!



Anyway, after much begging (2 seconds), Nick agreed to share with me the recipe of the dish that kept us going that winter, so below are clear instructions on how to make a good chili con carne for 4 hungry people:



Ingredients:
* 5 cloves of crushed garlic
* 1 inch cube of ginger thinly cut
* 4 tbs olive oil
* 500gr mince meat
* 1 red pepper sliced
* 1 tin chopped tomatoes
* 1 tin red kidney beans
* 1 tsp ground paprika
* 1 tsp chili powder
* salt and pepper

I usually eat the chili with basmati rice, greek yoghurt and grated cheddar cheese - mmm!






First, heat the oil in pan with a good grind of black pepper (like 5 peppercorns more or less) and while it's warming up, finely cut the ginger and press the garlic.




Add garlic and ginger but be careful as to not burn them! Stir and immediately after add the mince, mixing it all together.


When the mince is nice and brown and cooked through, add the chili powder and paprika.




Slowly add the chopped tomatoes...


... and then add the drained and washed kidney beans.

Bring the temperature of pan to the max heat and add the chopped pepper.

Then add a mug (approx 300ml) of boiling water, add about a tsp of salt and another good grind of black pepper, mix it all together, cover almost completely and let it simmer for at least 45 minutes.

Proof that it's a delicious recipe are the pictures I took during today's lunch and within 5 minutes of each other - YUMM!!