Mexican Beef Chili

Hot and spicy chili enjoyed on a cool day. Yummy!! This chili is not only a great comfort food but you can also feel good about eating it with all the vegetables and beans full of dietary fiber, protein and vitamins and minerals. Here I use a can with a variety of beans but if you have a favorite bean just substitute. Delicious!! 

SERVES 4-6

INGREDIENTS

1  tbsp of olive oil
1  onion, large, chopped roughly
1  carrot, large, diced into medium cubes
3  garlic cloves, chopped
1  pound lean ground beef (approximately 500 grams)
1  can diced tomatoes (28 oz liq or 796 mL)
2  tbs tomato paste
2  tsp oregano, dry
2  tbsp chipotle pepper with adobe sauce, cut into small pieces
1  tbsp brown sugar
1  can 6 bean medley (19 oz liq or 540 mL)
½ red pepper, diced
½ yellow pepper, diced
½ juice of a lime
1  cup cheddar cheese, shredded
2  green onions, thinly sliced for garnish
    salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

 

Heat oil in a large pot to medium heat, add onion, carrot and garlic. Season with salt and pepper. Cook it for 5-7 minutes, until onion is translucent stirring every few minutes.

Add ground beef, season it with salt and pepper, and sauté everything for 5-7 minutes or until cooked. Stir mixture every few minutes.

Add the can of diced tomatoes, tomato paste, oregano, chipotle pepper with adobe sauce and brown sugar. Bring it to a simmer, lower the heat to minimum, cover the pot with a lid and simmer everything for 20-30 minutes until everything comes together.

Rinse caned beans, add to the pot. Gently incorporate them. They are cooked and may easily fall a part. After 2 minutes add red and yellow peppers and also gently incorporate them. Add lime juice. Cover pot with a lid and cook chili for another 4 minutes.

Serve. Garnish with a little bit of cheddar cheese and green onions. Enjoy! 


TIP DU JOUR:
I like to add a little bit of sugar to almost all dishes I make with tomatoes. The reason is that tomatoes have a lot of acidity, by adding a small amount of sugar you mute that acidity and help bring out the natural sweetness of tomatoes. However, you don’t have to add sugar if you don’t want to.

Depending how you enjoy spicy foods, adjust the amount of chipotle pepper.

Chipotle pepper in adobe sauce often comes in a can. After taking what you need put the unused peppers and sauce into a plastic zip-lock bag and in a freezer. Next time just break of a piece. It’s that easy.