Kid-Friendly Chilli Con Carne

I often make a double batch of this sauce so I can freeze some for another week and put some in the fridge to make Chilli Con Carne Dippers (recipe coming soon) a few days later. This kid-friendly version has less spice and puréed veggies so that Henry won’t notice their texture. You can skip that part if texture isn’t an issue for anyone in your family. Interestingly when I made chilli con carne for some friends back in Canada they had never eaten it with rice, instead it’s mostly eaten with bread.

INGREDIENTS
Serves 2 Adults & 2 Kids
400g of 10% fat ground beef
1 yellow onion
1/2 head of garlic
1 400g tin of whole tomatoes
1/4 tsp chilli powder
1/2 tsp cumin
1 tsp sugar
1 tbsp gravy granules
1 400g tin of kidney beans
fresh parsley and/or grated cheese to serve

• Put a large frying pan or skillet on a very high heat with a little olive oil then fry the ground beef. It’s important not to move the meat for a few minutes so that it colours and gets more flavour. Break up and turn the beef then leave again to brown. Use a slotted spoon to remove the meat to a bowl.
• Peel and finely chop the onion then place in the same pan, turning the heat down to medium, and grind over with salt. Cook for 15 minutes then add the finely chopped garlic and cook for another 5 minutes. Tip the onions and garlic into a food processor or blender. Don’t blend yet.
• Put the ground beef back in the pan and sprinkle over the sugar and spices then add the tomatoes. Fill the tomato tin half full of water and swirl it around to pick up all the tomato-ey bits then pour the water into the blender and blend for 3-4 minutes.

• Pour the onion mixture into the pan and add the gravy granules then stir then add the drained kidney beans. Turn the heat down to low and cook for one hour with a lid on the pan (or cover with foil if you don’t have a lid. Serve with rice and garnish with chopped parsley or grated cheese.