Delicious Spoon

OK, this is my own version of chile con carne (in Spanish: hot pepper with meat), not sure how close or how far it is from the “authentic” dish eaten in Mexico, but hey, I can’t help it, I just love it

Ingredients:

- 28 ounces – 800g canned tomatoes  (or else choose from peeled tomatoes, minced tomatoes, pureed tomatoes, whatever you like -  because I like the texture, I used peeled tomatoes, which I chopped in the skillet once they softened. You could also use about 2 pound-1kg of Roma tomatoes, peel them and chop them)

- 1 pound – 500g minced meat (I used beef, but you could use pork as well)

- 28 ounces – 800g cooked red beans , drained

- 1 tsp cumin

- 1-2 tsp dried chili flakes, quantity depends on how much heat you can handle (alternatively use one of the following: tabasco, fresh chopped chili peppers, cayenne pepper… you see, I’m easy!)

- 1/2 tsp salt

- 1 tsp black pepper, crushed

- 2 or 3 garlic cloves, minced

- 1 onion, minced

- 2 bay leaves

- 2-3 tbsp vegetable oil

- coriander, chopped

- optional (this time I didn’t have it available): crema agria / Mexican cream / sour cream, to go with the chile

Cooking instructions:

In a skillet, heat the oil. Add then the garlic and the onion, saute until the onion becomes translucent.

Add the meat, cumin, pepper, salt, chili. Break the lumps of meat with a wooden spoon. When the meat is cooked, add the tomatoes and the bay leaves. Let simmer until the sauce thickens a bit, and the flavours mix.

Five minutes before serving, add the red beans, stir, let the whole simmer another 5 minutes, remove from the heat and remove the bay leaves.

Serve with fresh coriander sprinkled on it. The other two partners in crime: white rice and a dot of sour cream.

Buen provecho!!