I’ve seen a lot of recipes for chilli, some more elaborate and some very simple. Many are very good and most people to be fair have very different preferences. Here’s what I think is important for the presentation of chilli and my recipe. Chilli should…

• be cooked for a long time to ensure the meat is soft
• have a good consistency – not too runny
• have a strong but deep flavour, i.e. it should be hot, but not knock your socks off so you can taste the different flavours
• be a nice deep dark red colour

Ingredients (a la Robin)

1. 500g beef mince (although I’m assured by my American chilli-quaffing friend that the best way is to use chuck steak, finely diced, which I’m going to try out in due course)
2. 2 tbsp olive oil
3. 2 medium onions
4. 2 garlic cloves
5. 1 tin kidney beans
6. 2 tins chopped tomatos
7. 1 tsp corriander
8. 2 tsp cumin (personal preference)
9. 1/2 tsp cinnamon
10. 1/2 tsp paprika (hot hungarian)
11. 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
12. 2-3 tbsp i.e. long squirts of tomato puree
13. Salt n pepper
14. 2 hot chillis or 1 tbsp chilli flakes
15. 1 glass of red wine
16. Shake of worcestorshire sauce
17. Seasoning

To cook it:

1. Get the pan hot and keep it hot, while frying the beef mince in the olive oil. The aim is to brown it, but no need to go overboard and it’ll probably just cook as there will be a lot fat coming off the meat
2. Use a slotted spoon to remove the meat and add the onioins. Once these are starting to brown, turn the heat down to medium and start adding the garlic and spices. Cook for a few minutes, then add the meat back in
3. Add the glass of wine and allow it to absorb/reduce into the meat for a few minutes, before adding the worcestorshire sauce and the tomato puree. Stir that in, then add the tins of tomato
4. Season and then leave to cook for a few hours, checking it frequently. It should be bubbling gently. Use the lid for the first hour unless it’s going mental, then lid-off for an hour. The longer you can cook it the better really
5. Add the kidney beans shortly before serving (like 15 mins before) Serve with rice or crusty bread, a baked potato, mash or whatever you like. It’s another great dish to freeze and use at your convenience