Colleton Red Ruby Chilli

Ingredients:

• 2 x packets of Colleton Red Ruby minced beef
• 500g dried red or black kidney beans, soaked in cold water overnight
• 4 table spoons olive oil
• 2 large onions chopped
• 1-5 fresh green chillies, deseeded and finely chopped*
• 2 tablespoons malt, wine or cider vinegar
• 2 teaspoons of dark brown sugar
• 2 x 200g tins of plum tomatoes
• 250 ml beef stock
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 2 bay leaves
• 0.5 teaspoon dried oregano or marjoram
• 1-5 tablespoons of chilli powder*
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

*The 1-5 quantities for fresh chillies and chilli powder range from mildly hot - to very hot, adjust according to how hot you like it!

Preperation and cooking

Drain and rinse the dry kidney beans after soaking and put them in a large pan of fresh water and bring to the boil.  Boil hard for about 10 minutes then simmer gently for up to 2 hours, until completely tender, reserve some of the cooking liquid.

Heat a just over half the oil in a large frying pan and brown the Colleton Red Ruby mince beef in batches and transfer it to a large casserole or stockpot.  Add the rest of the oil to the frying pan and sweat the onions on a lower heat until soft and translucent.  Add them to the meat along with the other ingredients apart from the beans.  Bring to the boil and stir gently, adding water if it looks dry.

Cook for 1-1.5 hours until meat is tender and the sauce nicely amalgamated.  Add the beans for the last 20 minutes or so, use seasoning to adjust the taste at the end.  Serve your Colleton Red Ruby Chilli in the traditional way with tortillas, Guacamole and soured cream, or serve with buttery baked potatoes.