As the winter nights are drawing in sooner, sometimes the last thing you feel like is cooking when you get in from work, or the school run!
This Week our lavish Chilli Con Carne and super Sticky Toffee Puddings can be prepared in advance and wipped out of the freezer for supper, or prepared in 35 minuets, next to no time!
Comforting Chilli Con Carne served with Jacket Potatoes and Sour Cream
Preperation Time: 15 minuets
Cooking Time: 1 Hour
Serves 4-6
Ingredients:
3tbsp Olive Oil
100g Bacon Lardons
400g Beef (diced)
600g Venison (diced)
1 tbsp Chilli Powder
1 tbsp Smoked Paprika
1 tbsp Oregano
1 tbsp Cumin
100g Roasted Garlic
2 Onions (chopped)
2 Peppers (1 red and 1 green diced)
2 Large Red Chillies (de-seeded and chopped)
50g Celery (diced)
440ml Lager
100g Sun-dried Tomato Puree
800g Chopped Tomatoes
300ml Chicken Stock
400g Tinned Kidney Beans (drained)
400d Tinned Pinto Beans (drained)
A bunch of Corriander (chopped)
50g Dark Chocolate
Salt and Pepper for seasoning
Sour Cream
6 Large Baking Potatoes.
Please note you can substitue the Venison for more diced beef, or mince.
Step 1
Spike the Jacket potatoes with a sharp knife, fork or skewer and place them on a baking tray in a moderate oven. Spiking them in this way allows them to cook evenly. If your Garlic is not already roasted you can also put it in the oven now. Use a small ovenproof dish, you can leave the cloves as they are with the skins on but pull them away from the bulb so they roast quicker individually.
Step 2
In a large Saucepan pour in the olive oil, once it is hot add the bacon lardons. Following the lardons add the beef and venison and fry together until the meat had browned. This seals in the flavours and helps keep the meat succulent. At this stage you can season the meats to your liking with salt and pepper. We suggest freshly ground if you have it.
Step 3
Now put in the chilli powder, paprika, oregano. cumin and roasted garlic. Stir everything well untill the meat is cooked. then add the onions, peppers, chopped chillies and celery. At this point we add the larger too.
Step 4
Next add in the puree, don't worry if you didn't have sun-dried normal puree will work fine, the chopped tomatoes, chicken stock, kidney and pinto beans and the corriander. (keep a few pieces back for garnish at the end) The Chilli Con Carne now needs to simmer for about 50 minuets to let all the flavours infuse and the sauce to reduce. Keep an eye on it though, don't let the bottom of the saucepan burn! Whilst it's simmering it's a great time to start the Sticky Toffee Pudding Below
Step 5
Add in the Dark chocolate and stir until melted and dispersed evenly. Remove the potatoes from the oven, if you haven't already, and cut them longways and across. Fill each potato wil a generous helping of the Chilli Con Carne, and top with a large dollop of sour cream. Sprinkle on the saved corrainder as garnish, and serve immediatley.
If you want to freeze the Chilli Con Carne, after stiring in the chocolate and making sure it is melted you should remove it from the heat and let it cool before placing it in sealed freezerproof containers or freezerbags.
Enjoy it with a nice glass of wine!
Super Sticky Toffee Pudding
Preparation Time: 20 Minuets
Cooking Time: 1 hour
Serves 4
Ingredients:
For the Pudding;
45g of Unsalted Butter (room temperature) have a little extra for greasing the bowl!
85g of Soft Brown Sugar
1 Egg
115g Plain Flour
1/2 tsp of Baking Powder
85g Sugared Dates
1 tsp Bicarbonate of Soda
1 tbsp Vanilla Essence
(Vanilla Ice Cream to serve)
For the Butterscotch Sauce;
150g Demorara Sugar
85g Unsalted Butter
6 tbsp Double Cream
If the oven isn't already on for the Chilli Con Carne then heat it to gas mark 5 or 170 c Gas or fan assisted ovens and 190 c normal electric oven.
Step 1
Butter a 1 litre pudding dish with the extra butter, and set aside until needed.
Step 2
First we make the pudding. Cream together the butter and the soft brown sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy. Then add the egg and a third of the sifted plain flour. Beat it in well and then add in the remaining flour and the baking powder.
Step 3
Place the dates in a small saucepan with the bicarbonate of soda and the vanilla essence. Then add enough water to cover the dates and simmer them for 5-6 minuets. Be carefull when adding the water that the bicarbonate of soda doesn't fizz up.
Step 4
Once softened, drain the dates and gently fold into the cake mixture. Once done pour this mixture into the pre greased pudding dish and bake in the oven for 40 minuets, or until it is golden brown. To check whether or not it is cooked through or not, insert a skewer or knife into the centre. If when you pull the skewer out it is clean the pudding is ready.
Step 5
For the Butterscotch Sauce, Firstly turn on the grill. Then bring the brown sugar, butter and cream to a simmer in a saucepan. Make sure you keep stirring until the sugar and butter have dissolved and the mix is smooth and creamy. Cook for about 2-3 minuets or unitl the sauce has thickened.
Step 6
Pour 1/2 of the sauce over the pudding and grill it for 2-3 minuets or until bubbling.
Step 7
Remove from the grill and serve with vanilla ice cream and the remaining sauce poured over it. Enjoy... mmmm delicious!
now you just have to find someone else to do the washing up!
