Bonfire chilli with beef, chocolate and pumpkin

  • Prep: 15m
  • Cook: 3hr 15m
  • Serves: 6

This satisfying and meltingly tender chilli is a perfect family meal for this time of year. Organic chocolate is a very special ingredient - and it gives this dish a silky richness and depth of flavour like no other.

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 150°C / 130°C fan / gas mark 2.
  2. Heat the oil in a suitably sized casserole dish. Then fry the onion, garlic, chopped pumpkin and fresh chilli gently without colouring for 5 minutes.
  3. Add the cumin, coriander, cinnamon, oregano and dried chillies and stir in.
  4. Add the diced beef to the onion and pumpkin mixture, and mix gently before stirring in the tomato purée, ketchup, drained kidney beans and tomatoes.
  5. Give it all a stir and bring the chilli to a simmer. Add the pieces of chocolate and stir in, put on the lid and transfer to the oven, cook for 2 ½ to 3 hours or until the beef is tender, stirring occasionally. (If it becomes too dry, add a little water to the chilli.)
  6. Season to taste with salt and pepper, and adjust the chilli heat if needed, before serving with boiled rice or with grated cheese, tortilla chips and sour cream.

Ingredients

All to be sourced organic where possible

  • 700g beef (such as braising, stewing or shin)
  • 1 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 2 medium onions, peeled and diced
  • 3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
  • 1/2 small pumpkin, peeled and diced
  • 1/2 fresh red chilli, de-seeded and finely diced
  • 2 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp ground coriander
  • 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 1 tsp chilli powder
  • 2 tbsp tomato puree
  • 2 tbsp tomato ketchup
  • 1 x 400g tinned chopped tomatoes
  • 1 x 400g tinned red kidney beans (drained)
  • 70g organic dark chocolate, broken into small pieces
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • A little water
Karen Burns-Booth

Karen Burns-Booth

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