Chili con Carne à la Benjo

Ingredients for 8 servings:

• 1 kg ground beef or half and half
• 5 onions, diced
• 4 garlic cloves
• 2 cans of tomatoes, peeled, whole or chopped, 400 g each
• 3 bell peppers, colored, roughly diced
• 100 ml tomato(s), pureed
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 6 Piri-Piri, finely chopped
• 150 g corn, drained
• 2 cans kidney beans, drained and washed
• 2 cans of chili beans
• olive oil
• 2 tsp salt
• 3 tbsp oregano
• 1 tsp marjoram
• 1 tsp sweet paprika powder
• ½ tsp paprika powder, hot
• 1 pinch(s) of sugar
• pepper

Instructions

Working time approx. 20 minutes; Cooking/baking time approx. 45 minutes; Total time approx. 1 hour 5 minutes

colorful chili con carne

Lightly glaze diced onions in a large, heated saucepan with a generous splash of olive oil. Add the minced meat and fry over medium heat until it has completely changed color. Season with salt and pepper. Peel and finely dice the garlic, and add it to the pan. Let it simmer briefly. Add the chopped tomatoes and their juices, roughly diced bell peppers, passata, tomato paste, and the finely chopped piri-piri. Cook over high heat for 10 minutes, stirring constantly to prevent burning. Now add all the spices: about 2-3 tablespoons of oregano, 1-2 teaspoons of salt, pepper, 1 teaspoon of marjoram, ½ teaspoon of hot paprika, 1 teaspoon of sweet paprika, and a pinch of sugar. Simmer over medium heat for about 10 minutes, then stir in the drained corn. Also stir in the washed and well-drained kidney beans and chili beans with their broth. Cook over medium heat for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Don’t adjust the seasoning immediately; only before serving. The chili should rest for at least an hour—or even a day—in the refrigerator. It tastes best 1-2 days after cooking. It goes very well with ciabatta bread. Tips: If the chili is quite thick after 1-2 days, feel free to add some tomato puree until the desired consistency is reached. If you like it spicier, you can also add a little cayenne pepper.