This makes a big batch and it freezes well. Serve with rice, tortilla chips, sour cream, avocado and lime wedges.
Wine Suggestion: We like the textures and juiciness of a good Côtes du Rhône, like Domaine Romain Roche’s Cairanne which is a blend of Grenache and Syrah plus a herbal, earthy touch of Carignan that works well with the earthy beans
Bean chilli – serves 6 to 8
2 tbsp vegetable oil
2 onions, finely chopped
4 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
2 yellow peppers, deseeded and roughly chopped
2 roasted peppers from a jar, drained and roughly chopped
15g coriander, stalks finely chopped and leaves kept to serve
2 tbsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
¼ tsp ground cinnamon
2 tsp dried oregano
1 tbsp light brown soft sugar
1-2 tbsp chipotle paste
400g tin of black beans
400g tin of kidney beans
400g tin of cannellini beans
400g tin chopped tomatoes
300ml vegetable stock
Heat the oil in a large casserole or a deep pan over a medium-low heat. Add the onion with a pinch of salt and cook for 10-12 minutes. Add the garlic and peppers and cook for a further 5 minutes.
Stir in the coriander stalks, spices, oregano, sugar and chipotle paste. Cook for 5 minutes more, then pour in the beans with their liquid, the tomatoes and the stock. Season well and bring to a simmer.
Leave the chilli on a gentle simmer for about an hour or until it has thickened and reduced. Taste for seasoning before serving with rice, tortilla chips, avocado, sour cream, lime wedges, and the coriander leaves.
(Original recipe from BBC Good Food Magazine, January 2024.)
We always like a new chilli recipe and this one is particularly tasty. We made this on Halloween night … for some reason we always have chilli for Halloween.
Wine Suggestion: Whatever, big, juicy red you have to hand like the Achaval Ferrer Mendoza Malbec which was all brambly, velvety, rich and smooth.
Chilli – serves 4
2 tbsp sunflower oil
400g beef mince
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, crushed
1 tbsp cumin seeds
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tbsp cider vinegar
1-2 tsp chipotle paste
1 tbsp tomato purée
400g tin chopped tomatoes
¼ tsp yeast extract, like Marmite or Vegemite
1 beef stock cube
400g tin black beans
cooked rice, sour cream, sliced jalapenos from a jar, avocado & coriander, to serve
Heat the oil in a shallow saucepan over a medium heat and fry the beef mince for about 10 minutes. Add the the onion and keep frying for another 8 to 10 minutes or until the onions have softened and started to brown a bit. Add the garlic and stir for a minute.
Stir in the cumin seeds, ground coriander, oregano and a plenty of black pepper, and continue to fry for a few minutes. Add the vinegar, then the chipotle and tomato purée and stir to combine. Tip in the tomatoes and a canful of water, then add the yeast extract and crumble in the stock cube. Cook for 20 minutes, stirring now and then.
When the chilli has thickened, tip in the beans with halve the liquid from the tin. Simmer for another 20 minutes, then taste and season to taste. Serve with all the acompaniments listed above.
(Original recipe by Barney Desmazery in BBC Good Food Magazine, October 2020.)
Wine Suggestion: a little indulgent, but we wanted to see how a bottle we picked up in the Loire from the winemaker was developing: the Domaine de la Taille aux Loups Montlouis les Hauts de Husseau. A crystalline Chenin Blanc from the neighbouring area to Vouvray, this was exciting, racy and edgy and exceptionally youthful. It may not be super cheap, but we’d argue still a bargain given the quality, complexity, depth and potential to age superbly. We’d even conjecture that it’s a very good option to top white Burgundy. The remaining bottles we’ll try to ignore for a few more years if we can resist.
Salmon, veg and black bean tray bake – serves 4 to 6
2 red onions, cut into wedges
2 sweet potatoes, cut into chunks
2 red peppers, cut into strips
2 tbsp sesame oil or olive oil
1 head of broccoli, cut into florets
400g tin of black beans, drained and rinsed
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp rice wine
2 cloves of garlic, crushed
5g fresh ginger, grated
½ tsp Chinese 5-spice powder
1 tbsp sesame seeds
fresh coriander, chopped
FOR THE SALMON:
600g skinned salmon fillet, cut into large chunks
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp runny honey
Heat the oven to 200C/fan 180C/Gas 6.
Put the onions, sweet potatoes and peppers into a large roasting tray. Drizzle over 1 tbsp of sesame oil and toss to coat, then season with salt and pepper. Roast for 20 minutes.
Toss the broccoli in the other tbsp of sesame oil and add to the roasting tin. Mix the beans with the soy sauce, rice wine, garlic, ginger and Chinese 5-spice powder and add 100ml of water. Pour this around the veg and cook for another 20 minutes, turning the broccoli over after 10.
Toss the salmon in the soy sauce and honey and place on top of the vegetables. Roast for another 8-9 minutes, or until cooked.
Serve sprinnkled with the sesame seeds and coriander.
(Original recipe from The Hairy Bikers One Pot Wonders by Si King and Dave Myers, Seven Dials, 2019.)
Yes, we know it’s like November outside but here’s a barbecue recipe for the next time the sun shines.
Wine Suggestion: We think the smokiness of Chipotle works well with the gentle and velvety spices of Grenache, or blends with this the dominant grape. From Jesus Romero in the obscure central Spanish village of Teruel is his Rubus which is grown on old terraced vineyards. A project of rediscovering and unearthing an old Roman tradition in an area depopulated and abandoned during the Spanish civil war. Bravo for the effort and idea, and bravo for the delicious wine: minimal intervention, just careful guidance to an expressive and joyous fruit.
2 limes, 1 zested and juiced, cut the other into wedges to serve
3 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for frying
6 chicken thigh fillets
150g natural yoghurt
2 tsp honey
2 corn cobs, husks removed
2 little gem lettuces, halved and leaves separated
1 x 400g tin black beans, drained and rinsed
200g cherry tomatoes, halved
2 avocados, cut into chunks
2 corn tortilla wraps
a small bunch of coriander, leaves picked and roughly chopped
Mix the parika, oregano, 1 tbsp chipotle paste, cinnamon, garlic, lime zest and 2 tbsp oil in a bowl with some seasoning. Pour this mixture over the chicken thighs, then cover and chill for a few hours or overnight.
Get your barbecue ready for cooking, or heat a griddle pan over a high heat.
Mix the yoghurt, lime juice, 1 tbsp olive oil, ½ tsp paprika, 1 tsp chipotle paste and the honey with a pinch of salt, set aside.
Brush the corn cobs with a little oil, then cook it and the chicken on the barbecue (or griddle) for about 10 minutes, turning often, until cooked through.
Transfer the chicken and corn to a plate and cover to keep warm.
Arrange the lettuce, beans, tomatoes and avocado on a large platter.
Cut the tortilla wraps into strips and heat a drizzle of oil in a frying pan. Fry the strips until crisp and golden, then drain on kitchen paper. Sprinkle with salt.
Slice the cooked chicken into strips and cut the corn from the cobs. Add the chicken and corn to the salad, then drizzle over the dressing and any juice from the chicken. Toss everything gently together. Scatter over the coriander and tortilla strips, and serve with the lime wedges on the side.
A very tasty lunch. Good for holidays, or a lazy weekend.
Prawn & black bean quesadillas – serves 2
1 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, finely sliced
1 red pepper, thinly sliced
150g raw king prawns
1 large clove of garlic, crushed
2 tsp hot smoked paprika
½ a small bunch of coriander, roughly chopped
½ x 400g tin black beans, drained
2 large flour tortillas
80g grated mozzarella
mixed salad and hot sauce, to serve (optional)
Heat the oil in a large frying pan, add the onion and pepper and cook for about 10 minutes or until softened and starting to brown. Add the prawns to the pan and cook for 3 minutes, then add the garlic and paprika and fry for another minute. Stir in the coriander and beans, then season.
Heat another large non-stick frying pan over a high heat. Put a tortilla in the pan and cover half with half the bean and prawn mixture and half the cheese. Flip the other side over to make a semi-circle and do the same with the second tortilla in the other half of the pan (or you can do one at a time if easier). Put a saucepan or something heavy on top to press down on the tortillas and cook for a minute or two. Carefully flip them over and weigh down for another minute or two. Cut each tortilla in two and serve with salad and hot sauce if you like.
This is a big dish and enough to serve on it’s own. It also goes well with this spicy chicken dish as helpfully suggested by Noor and Yotam, the authors of the Ottolenghi Test Kitchen Extra Good Things, where the recipe comes from.
Black beans and rice with jammy peppers – serves 6
1 onion, finely chopped
6 cloves of garlic, crushed
2 tsp cumin seeds, finely crushed with a pestle and mortar
2 tsp coriander seeds, finely crushed with a pestle and mortar
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp dried oregano
300g short-grain brown rice, washed and soaked for 30 minutes, then drained
2 x 400g tins of black beans, drained and rinsed
20g fresh coriander, roughly chopped
2 tbsp lime juice
1 lime, cut into wedges, to serve
2 medium avocados, cut into cubes
FOR THE PEPPERS:
75ml olive oil
2 onions, thinly sliced
2 red peppers, trimmed and cut into 1cm thick strips
4 cloves of garlic, crushed
1½ tbsp tomato purée
2 tsp light soft brown sugar
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp chipotle chilli flakes
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
Make the peppers first by putting the oil into a medium sauté pan over a medium-high heat. Add the onions and cook for 4 minutes, to soften. Add the peppers and ½ tsp of salt and cook for another 6 minutes, until softened and starting to colour. Turn the heat down to medium-low and stir in the garlic, tomato purée, sugar, oregano, chipotle, vinegar, 2 tbsp of water and plenty of black pepper. Cover with a lid and cook for half an hour, stirring now and then, until soft. Set aside.
Meanwhile, make the rice. Put 4 tbsp of the oil in a large saucepan and place over a medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook for 5 minutes, until softened and starting to colour. Add the garlic, spices and oregano and cook for a minute, until fragrant. Stir through the rice to coat, then add the black beans, 520ml of water, 1¼ tsp of salt and lots of black pepper. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat to low and leave to cook, covered for 50 minutes. Remove the lid and set aside for 10 minutes to cool slightly.
Meanwhile, blitz the coriander, lime juice and 2 tbsp of oil in a mini food processor until smooth. Transfer to a bowl and stir in the avocado and ¼ tsp of salt.
Transfer the rice and beans to a large platter and spoon over the peppers and avocado. Serve with the lime wedges.
(Original recipe from Ottolenghi Test Kitchen Extra Good Things by Noor Murad & Yotam Ottolenghi, Ebury Press, 2022.)
Well this is just delicious; we love bean chillies anyhow but this is a particularly good one. We are not vegan and so served this with sour cream. We’ve included the instructions for a vegan crème fraîche below if you prefer.
Wine Suggestion: For some reason we gravitate to American (both North & South) reds when eating chillies, and with the Wines of Argentina tasting in Dublin yesterday it was natural we’d open a Malbec. A star of the show, and definitely by no means the most expensive, the Altosur Malbec by Finca Sophenia in Gualtallary, Mendoza was our choice. And it seems like Decanter agrees with our choice too – Best in Show and Best Value in their World Wine Awards just announced. Bravo Finca Sophenia and perfect for our chilli.
Vegan chilli – serves 4-6
4 sweet potatoes, skins scrubbed
2 tbsp sunflower oil, plus a bit extra to rub on the potatoes
100g broccoli florets
1 red onion, finely sliced
1 large clove of garlic, grated or finely chopped
2 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground cumin
1 red pepper, chopped
2 x tins chopped tomatoes
400g tin chickpeas, drianed and rinsed
100g fresh, frozen or tinned sweetcorn kernels
400g tin black beans, drained and rinsed
400g tin kidney beans, drained and rinsed
sour cream or crème fraîche (or make the vegan crème fraîche below)
IF YOU WANT VEGAN CRÈME FRAÎCHE:
65g cashews soaked in 120ml water for 30 minutes, then drained
juice of ½ lemon
TO SERVE:
75g edamame beans
1 avocado, chopped
lime wedges
Preheat the oven to 200C/Fan 180C.
Rub the sweet potatoes with a little bit of vegetable oil and sprinkle with salt and black pepper, then bake in the oven for about 45 minutes or until tender.
Steam the broccoli until tender, then set aside.
If you want to make the vegan crème fraîche, put the soaked and drained cashews in a blender with the lemon juice. Season with salt and blitz to a cream.
Heat the oil in a large, deep pan, over a medium heat. Add the onions, garlic and spices and cook for a few minute or until softened. Add the red pepper and tomatoes and cook for a couple of minutes, then add the chickpeas, sweetcorn, black beans and kidney beans. Season with salt and simmer for 10-15 minutes. If it starts to look dry, you can add a splash of water.
Add the steamed broccoli and mix to warm through.
Trim the ends off the sweet potatoes and cut them in half but not the whole way through. Spoon the chilli into the potatoes and top with some edamame beans and sour cream or crème fraîche, then serve with the avocado and lime wedges.
(Original recipe from Rick Stein at Home, BBC Books, 2021.)
We’ve been meaning to try veggie burgers on the barbecue for a while now. These sweet potato and black bean ones have lots of spice and cooking the sweet potatoes in the coals gives them a great smoky flavour. These take a while to prepare and you do need a charcoal barbecue. And while they’re a lot softer than a traditional burger the flavours still make it a good choice if you feel like something different or if you don’t like meat.
Sweet potato and black bean burgers – serves 6
2 large sweet potatoes (600g in total)
2 x 400g tins black beans, drained and rinsed
75g panko breadcrumbs
80g roasted cashew nuts, finely chopped
1 tbsp ground cumin
2 tsp hot smoked paprika
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tbsp vegetable oil
FOR THE CHIPOTLE LIME MAYO
140g mayonnaise
30g chipotle chillies in adobo sauce, finely chopped
juice of ½ a lime
TO SERVE
6 burger buns
6 slices of cheddar or Gruyère cheese
2 avocados
pickled jalapeno chillies
lettuce
You need a charcoal barbecue for this. Wait until the embers have turned white, then wrap the potatoes in tin foil and nestle them into the coals. Cook for about 40 minutes, turning every 10 minutes, until soft.
Tip the black beans into a large bowl and roughly mash with a fork.
When the potatoes are cooked, unwrap them and leave them to cool slightly. Then scoop out the insides and add to the black beans. Add the breadcrumbs, cashew nuts, spices and some salt and pepper. Mix well, then divide into 6 burgers. Put onto a tray, cover and refrigerate for at least an hour to firm them up.
Heat the barbecue up again and mix all of the mayo ingredients together and set aside.
Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a large cast-iron frying pan on the barbecue. Add the burgers and cook for 3-4 minutes on each side. When you turn them over, toast the burger buns and set aside. Lay the cheese slices on top of the burgers, add a little water to the pan and cover with a lid – the steam helps to melt the cheese.
Spread some mayo on the bottom half of the toasted buns. Add a burger, some avocado and a few jalapaenos. Serve with some lettuce or salad leaves on the side.
(Original recipe from Outdoor Cooking by Tom Kerridge, Bloomsbury Absolute, 2021.)
This soup is super simple but it’s really good with the toasted feta tortillas on the side for a weekday lunch.
Bean soup with feta tortillas – serves 4
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped
1 heaped tbsp chipotle paste
500g carton passata
500ml vegetable stock
1 x 400g tin of red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 x 400g tin of black beans, drained and rinsed
200g feta
4 large soft flour tortillas
a handful of coriander, roughly chopped
sour cream or yoghurt to serve
Heat the oil in a large saucepan and cook the onion over a medium-low heat for about 10 minutes, or until soft.
Add the chipotle paste, passata, stock and beans. Season, bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, crumble the feta over one half of each of the tortillas, then sprinkle with the chopped coriander and season with black pepper. Fold the uncovered side over and press together. Heat a dry frying pan and cook the tortillas for a minute on each side or until crispy and the cheese has melted.
Serve the soup in warm bowls with a dollop of sour cream or yoghurt if you have it and the feta tortillas on the side.
It’s difficult to know how to introduce this recipe by Rosie Birkett. It is far from shy in terms of flavour, bursting with it in fact, and we’d suggest you have to be a bit adventurous, as it has so many punchy layers. Great to see celeriac getting the attention it deserves.
The recipe is not difficult, but it does take a little effort to make all of the separate components.
Wine Suggestion: to match such a punchy, savoury dish you can go all out with a wine to match these levels of flavour, or go light to be complimentary. We went the latter route and opened an easy, dry Rosé. Tonight a bottle from a friend, the Domaine le Novi Côté Levant Rosé, which tasted of fresh red berries, hints of citrus and light tannins, finishing zesty and minerally.
Gochujang-glazed celeriac with black beans, green salsa & crispy shallots – serves 2
about 25g of sea salt flakes
1 medium celeriac, about 750g, peeled, halved and cut into 3cm thick wedges
sunflower oil, for frying
1-2 shallots, finely sliced
FOR THE GLAZE:
2 tbsp gochujang paste
50g salted butter
3 tsp honey
1 orange, juiced
2 tsp cornflour
1 tbsp sesame seeds
FOR THE BLACK BEANS:
2 tbsp olive oil
½ tsp cumin seeds
1 bay leaf
1 onion, chopped
a small bunch of coriander, stems finely chopped and leaves reserved
a pinch of ground coriander
400g tin of black beans, don’t drain them as you need the liquid
½ lime, juiced (you will need the other half for the salsa)
FOR THE GREEN SALSA:
1 green apple, roughly chopped
½ green chilli, deseeded
1 tbsp pumpkin seeds, toasted
½ lime, juiced
1 tbsp olive oil
Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6.
Line a tray with baking paper and sprinkle the salt over the top. Put the celeriac slices on top of the salt, then roast for 15 minutes at the top of the oven.
Make the glaze while the celeriac is baking. Put the gochujang, butter, honey, a pinch of salt, 1 tbsp water, the orange juice and cornflour in a pan. Cook, stirring, for a few minutes or until smooth, then set aside.
Leave the celeriac to cool slightly, then remove any excess salt and toss each piece in the glaze. Discard the salt from the tray, return the wedges to it and roast for another 10 minutes. Glaze again and scatter over the sesame seeds, then roast for a final 10-20 minutes or until sticky and caramelised (turn the oven up a bit if you need).
Meanwhile, make the beans. Heat the oil in a heavy frying pan over a medium heat. Fry the cumin and bay leaf until sizzling, then add the onion, coriander stems, ground coriander and a good pinch of salt. Fry, stirring, for about 8 minutes or until golden and soft. Add the beans with their liquid and a pinch of salt, then bring to the boil. Simmer for 5-8 minutes, stirring, until the beans look creamy and the liquid and almost gone. Remove the bay leaf, stir in the lime juice, then set aside and keep warm.
To make the salsa, put the apple, chilli, pumpkin seeds, lime juice and reserved coriander leaves in a food processor and whizz until combined but chunky. Add the oil and whizz again, then season to taste.
To make the crispy shallots, heat the sunflower oil in a small frying pan and fry the shallots over a low-medium heat for 15 minutes or until golden and crispy. Drain on a plate lined with kitchen paper and season.
Serve the beans on warm plates, topped with the celeriac, salsa and crispy shallots.
A lovely salad which is perfect for using the fresh corn cobs that are in the shops around now. We served with barbecued chicken but it would be great with loads of things. Another great idea by Sabrina Ghayour.
Sweetcorn, black bean & avocado salad – serves 5 to 6
3 fresh corn cobs
1 avocado, diced
½ a 400g tin black beans, drained and rinsed
2 kaffir lime leaves, very finely chopped (we didn’t have these but we added some lime zest instead)
2 scallions, thinly sliced
½ a small red pepper, finely diced
½ a small green pepper, finely diced
1 long red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
about 30g of fresh coriander, finely chopped
1 heaped tbsp of mayonnaise
a drizzle of olive oil
Cook the corn cobs in lots of boiling salty water for about 10 minutes or until tender. Drain and rinse under cold water to cool, then drain again.
Use a sharp knife to cut the kernels off the cobs in strips.
Put the corn in a large bowl with all of the other ingredients and season well with Maldon sea salt and black pepper.
(Original recipe from Simply by Sabrina Ghayour, Mitchell Beazley, 2020)
This is a tasty soup, but the sweetcorn salsa makes it extra special and looks great. Hearty enough to serve as a main course.
Wine Suggestion: a juicy, fruity red was the match here with the Cline Lodi Zinfandel as our choice this evening to great effect.
Smoky Black Bean & Roast Tomato Soup – serves 4
FOR THE SALSA
1 small red onion, very finely chopped
1 tbsp sunflower oil
100g sweetcorn kernels
1 red chilli
squeeze of lime juice
small bunch of coriander, leaves picked
FOR THE SOUP
6 tomatoes, halved across the middle
1 tbsp sunflower oil
2 red onions, chopped
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 tsp chipotle paste
1 tsp fresh or dried oregano
1 tbsp cumin seeds
700g cooked black beans
750ml veg stock
squeeze of lime juice
sour cream, to serve
First roast the tomatoes. Heat the oven to 190C/170C fan/gas 5. Put the tomatoes in a single layer, cut-side up, on a baking tray. Drizzle lightly with oil and sprinkle with salt, then roast for 30 minutes.
Next make the salsa. Cook the red onion in the sunflower oil for 5 minutes until soft and starting to colour. Turn up the heat, then add the sweetcorn and chilli, stirring until the corn is toasted at the edges. Remove from the heat, season with salt and pepper and add a squeeze of lime juice.
To make the soup, heat the oil in a large saucepan and gently cook the onions until soft but not coloured. Add the garlic, chipotle paste, oregano & cumin seeds. Cook for another 5 minutes or until the cumin is fragrant.
Add the roasted tomatoes, the cooked beans and vegetable stock. Bring to the boil, then simmer for 30 minutes. Season with salt, pepper and lime juice, then liquidise until smooth. Check again for seasoning. Stir the coriander leaves through the salsa.
Serve the soup in warm bowls and a spoon of sour cream and salsa on the top.
(Original recipe by Alice Hart in BBC Good Food Magazine, July 2011.)
We’re forever trying new chillies and this one has become the current favourite. Great for feeding a crowd and it tastes even better if cooked the night before. It’s also worth using dried black beans though you have to soak them overnight. If you’re using tinned beans make sure you buy Mexican black beans rather than fermented black beans used in Chinese dishes.
Wine Suggestion: an easy choice here, juicy and red. We chose a Primitivo from Puglia in Italy, the Biancardi Ponteviro which had a wonderful depth of brambly fruit and a hint of menthol freshness. A really good Zinfandel from California (Ridge I’m looking at you, but there are a number of others) would be a good alternative if that’s easier as it’s the same grape.
Chunky Beef & Black Bean Chilli – serves 6
200g dried black beans, soaked overnight
olive oil
2 large onions, chopped
3 cloves of garlic, crushed
2 green chillies, seeded and finely chopped
750g beef shin, trimmed and cubed
3 tbsp tomato purée
2-3 tbsp chipotle paste/chipotle chillies in adobo sauce
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp chilli powder
1 cinnamon stick
½ tsp dried oregano
500ml beef stock
2 tbsp malt vinegar
2 tbsp dark brown sugar
2 x 400g tins of cherry tomatoes
sour cream (to serve)
tortilla chips (to serve)
cooked basmati rice (to serve)
FOR THE GUACAMOLE:
2 avocados, peeled & stoned
1 small red onion, finely chopped
1 red chilli, finely chopped
a good pinch of ground cumin
2 limes, juiced
a handful of coriander, chopped
Put the soaked pans into a saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring to a fast boil and cook for 30 minutes. Drain & rinse.
Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a wide casserole dish, add the onions and cook until soft and golden. Add the garlic and chilli and keep cooking for another minute, then scoop out onto a plate.
Heat another tbsp of oil in the same dish and use to brown the meat in batches. When all the meat is browned put it all back into the dish and add the onion mixture, the tomato purée, chipotle paste, spiced and dried oregano. Cook for a minute, then add the stock, vinegar, sugar and tined tomatoes. Season, stir well and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat to a very gentle simmer, cover with a tight lid and continue to cook for 2½-3 hours or until the meat is very tender.
To make the guacamole, mash the ingredients roughly together with a generous pinch of salt.
Serve the chilli with the guacamole, sour cream, tortilla chips and basmati rice.
(Original recipe by Janine Ratcliffe in BBC Olive Magazine, October 2013.)
We are forever trying new chilli recipes in an effort to find the best one. Most of them end up fairly similar to be honest but this one was deliciously different and therefore a suitable dish to serve up to friends who also cook their own versions.
Wine Suggestion: we often think the wine used to cook a dish is a good match and in this case the beer used would work, especially if you’ve used one with character and a bit of body. Alternately a good Languedoc or Roussillon (southern French) wine makes a good match. If you prefer white wine there are some great Grenache blanc or Grenache gris wines – try the Roc des Anges “Llum” for an amazing textured and savoury white or the Domaine Gayda’s Grenache Gris Selection which is richer and full of round, seductive fruit. If you prefer red then seek out a bottle of Chateau Saint Jacques d’Alba Minervois for a velvety, deep and satisfying drop.
Lamb, beer & black bean chilli – serves 6
4 tbsp olive oil
750g shoulder of lamb, cubed
1 large onion, roughly chopped
4 garlic cloves, crushed
2 green chillies, deseeded and chopped
½ tbsp ground cumin
2 x 400g tins tomatoes
600ml lager
1 tbsp tomato purée
1 tbsp soft dark brown sugar
3 tsp dried oregano
2 x 400g tins black beans, drained and rinsed
juice of ½ – 1 lime
3 scallions, finely chopped
2 tbsp chopped fresh coriander
sour cream/Greek yoghurt
avocado
grated Lancashire/Wensleydale/Cheddar cheese
Heat the oil in a flameproof casserole and brown the lamb in batches until well coloured on all sides, then remove and set aside. Add the onion to the pan and cook until golden, then add the garlic and chillies and cook for a couple of minutes more. Add the cumin and cook for a further minute. Return the lamb to the pot along with the tomatoes, lager, tomato purée, sugar, oregano and lamb, season well and bring to the boil.
Reduce the heat immediately to a very gentle simmer and cook, uncovered, for 1½ – 2 hours or until the lamb is tender. Stir in the beans halfway through.
Taste, then add the lime juice, scallions and coriander, then taste again. Season as needed and serve with soured cream, slices of avocado and grated cheese.
(Original recipe from Food from Plenty by Diana Henry, Mitchell Beazley, 2010.)
We often pick up a pork fillet at the butcher’s as they are cheap and versatile. Make the salsa before you start cooking the pork so the flavours have time to develop.
Chipotle Roasted Pork with Avocado & Black Bean Salsa – serves 4
2 pork tenderloins/fillets, about 250-350g each
1 tsp coarse sea salt
1 tsp chipotle paste
½ tsp olive oil
FOR THE SALSA:
½ small red onion
2 limes
1 red chilli
few coriander sprigs
1-2 tbsp olive oil
1 ripe but firm avocado
½ x 400g tin black beans, drained and rinsed
1 spring onion
Prepare the pork by removing the sinew from the surface. Cut each fillet in half.
Mix the salt, chipotle paste, olive oil and some freshly ground black pepper in a small bowl. Rub the marinade all over the pork pieces. Leave in the fridge to marinate for at least half an hour, or up to a few hours.
Heat the oven to 170ºC/gas mark 3.
Put a non-stick frying pan over a medium heat, brown the pork evenly all over. Transfer to a roasting tin and roast in the oven for 20-25 minutes or until cooked but still juicy. Test by inserting a skewer into the thickest part for 10 seconds, then rest it on your inner wrist; it should feel hot.
Remove from the oven and leave to rest for 5 minutes before carving on the diagonal into 7-8mm thick slices. Spoon the salsa onto a platter and top with the pork.
TO MAKE THE SALSA:
Peel and finely dice the red onion and put into a bowl. Finely grate the zest from one of the limes and squeeze the juice from both. Add the lime zest and half the juice to the onion, saving the rest for seasoning at the end.
Cut the avocado into even dice and thinly slice the spring onion. Coarsely chop the coriander leaves.
Stir the avocado, black beans, spring onion, and coriander into the onion and lime mixture. Stir in the olive oil and season well with salt and more lime juice if needed. Leave to stand for 30 minute for the flavours to develop.
(Original recipe from Leith’s How to Cook, Quadrille Publishing, 2013.)
Heat the oil in a large pot and fry the onions and garlic for about 5 minutes or until almost soft. Add the pimenton and cumin and continue cooking for another few minutes before adding the vinegar, sugar, tomatoes and some seasoning. Cook for 10 minutes. Add the beans and cook for another 10 minutes. Serve with rice and your choice of extras.
Wine Suggestion: As this is so healthy you might decide to have a glass of water. If you decide to treat yourself you could try a Zinfandel or a Grenache which which will complement the spicy flavours without being too tannic or heavy.
Easy, tasty, low-fat, cheap, hearty… need we say more? We had carrots and celery that needed used so we added more than the recipe suggests – it was a good idea!
Black bean and chilli soup – to serve 2
1 onion chopped
2 sticks celery, sliced
1 carrot, diced small
olive oil
a pinch of chilli flakes
1/2 tsp ground cumin
400g tin of chopped tomatoes
400ml vegetable stock
400g tin of black beans, rinsed and drained
150ml natural yogurt
a small bunch of coriander, chopped
Cook onion, celery and carrot in 1 tbsp olive oil until softened. Add the chilli flakes and cumin and cook for another minute. Add the tomatoes, stock and beans and simmer for about half an hour, or until the veg is soft. Serve with a dollop of yogurt and some coriander on top.
Jono & Jules do food & wine 