Slow Cooker Chilli Con Carne

Days are getting shorter and colder. We need to warm our bellies and this dish delivers.

Serves 6

Before cooking

1 tbsp Plain Flour
1 Onion, chopped
1 Red Pepper, Chopped
2 Red Chillies, de seeded and roughly chopped
2 Garlic Cloves, crushed
500g Mince Beef
400g Can of Chopped Tomatoes
600ml Beef Stock
1 tsp Smoked Paprike
1 tsp Chilli Powder (strength your own choice, I used Hot)
1 tsp Cumin
2 tbsp Tomato Puree
400g Can Red Kidney Beans
50g Dark Chocolate
Olive Oil

1. Turn your slow cooker on. If you want to cook for longer put on low. If you want a quicker cook turn to high. If there is a removeable hob safe dish take out and put on hob with a bit of olive oil over a medium heat. If not use a frying pan. Add the onion and mince beef. Leave in til the meat begins to brown and the onion soften. Put the pan back in the slow cooker or add the frying pan contents to the slow cooker.

2. Add the rest of the ingredients apart from the chocolate and season. Give a stir. And leave for the following

-Low - 7 - 8 Hours
- Medium -  5 - 6 Hours
- High - 3 - 4 Hours

3. 30 Minutes before end add the dark chocolate and stir. Leave for 30 minutes. Serve with rice or other side you would like. Can be stored and eaten later. Allow time to cool before putting in containers and storing in Fridge or Freezer.

After Cooking

Serving Suggestion

Duck Breast and Plum Sauce with Mashed Potatoes and Kale

So after picking up a few plums, the main recipes that came to mind were mainly fruity ones so I thought why not try something savoury with plums. Duck is a bit pricey but looking at the prices the leg is the cheapest part coming at around £2 for 2 in Asda but you might get a cheaper deal on duck in your local butchers or in the reduced section. A lovely romantic meal for two.

Serves 2

2 Duck Breasts/Leg
1 tsp of Thyme
1 Star anise
25g Butter, plus extra for the kale.
Kale

Mash Potatoes
Potatoes (Preferably Maris Piper)
About 25ml Double Cream
Knob of Butter
Dash of Milk

Plum Sauce
3 Shallots, finely chopped
About 8 plums, de stoned and cut into quarters
Splash of Red Wine
300ml Beef Stock
1tsp Cranberry Sauce
1tsp Butter
2 tbsp Demerara Sugar


1. Begin by making the sauce. Put the butter in a pan and leave until it melts. Add the shallots and cook until softened. Add the plums and sugar to the pan and continuously stir until the sugar is gone. Then add wine, stock and cranberry sauce to the pan and let it simmer for about 20-25 minutes on a low heat. Taste and season if necessary.

2. Heat an oven to 180/160c fan assisted. Score the duck skin and season both sides. Heat a medium frying pan place the duck in the pan and if using breast place skin side down and if using a duck leg put it on either side. Fry for about 5 minutes or until sealed.

3. Turn the duck over and add the butter, thyme and star anise. Once this has melted, occasionally baste the juices of the duck by tipping the frying pan and spooning the mixture over the duck. Then put it all in an oven-proof dish and put in the oven for about 10 minutes if cooking with breast. If you are cooking with leg put it in for about 20-25 minutes.

4. While that is being done put two pans of water on to boil and to one add potatoes and the other kale. Kale will need about 5-10 minutes simmering. Potatoes will need 10-15 minutes. Drain when each are done. Return both to the pan.

5. Add butter to the kale and mix it in. With the potatoes add the milk, cream and butter. Mash the potatoes and make sure its all mixed in. The potatoes should be creamy and smooth. Taste and season if needed.

6. When the duck is done, baste and leave to rest. Then, if using breast, cut the breast into slices. Put a dollop of mash and kale next to each other. Add the duck breast, resting on the top. Drizzle the plum sauce over. Serve with a nice red wine.

Lasagne

The Garfield classic. A dish which is common among the micro meals but tastes far better when you make it yourself. Can be made in advance and cooked later.

Serves 6

Meat Filling

700g Mince Beef
Pack of Back Bacon
1 Medium Glass of Red Wine
2 Bay Leaves
2 tsp of Dried Oregano
4 tbsp Tomato Puree
Splash of Worcestershire Sauce
2 Onions, finely chopped
3 Garlic Cloves, crushed
Salt And Pepper
Squeeze of Lemon Juice
400ml Beef Stock
Olive Oil

Cheese Sauce

50g Butter
800 ml Milk
250g Strong Cheddar (use the good stuff as the cheap stuff dosent taste nice)
4 tbsp White Flour
1 tsp Nutmeg

Lasagna Sheets

1. Get a large frying pan, put over a medium heat and add olive oil. Fry the onions and garlic until they begin to soften. Add the bacon and fry for 5 minutes.

2. Add the mince beef and fry until it begins to brown.

3.  Add stock, red wine, Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, bay leaves, oregano, lemon juice and tomato puree. Leave to boil until the stock had reduced.

4. While the stock is boiling, prepare the cheese sauce. Melt the butter in the pan. Gradually add the flour to the melted butter until it thickens. Then add the milk to the pan and whisk. Leave on a low heat for about 5-10 minutes. If the sauce hasn't thickened add more flour. Once thickened add the cheese and nutmeg.

5. In a large oven proof dish layer the meat ragu, then lasagna sheets and some cheese sauce. Repeat this until the meat ragu and cheese sauce runs out. Then on the top grate more cheese.

6. Either refrigerate until needed or put in the oven and bake for 40 minutes at 200c/180c fan assisted. Serve.

Chocolate Chilli Con Carne

Chocolate in a main? A sweet twist to the classic Texan dish. Can be served with tortilla chips or rice.

Serves 4


1 Onion, finely chopped
1 Red Pepper, chopped
2 Red Chillies, de seeded and chopped
2 Garlic Cloves, finely sliced
500g Minced Beef
400g Can of Chopped tomatoes
400g Can of Red Kidney Beans, drained
40-50g Dark Chocolate
300ml Beef Stock
1 tsp Paprika
1 tsp Chilli powder (Mild, Medium or Hot)
1 tsp Cumin
2 tbspn Tomato Purée

Cheese, grated

1. Put a large pan on the hob over a medium heat. Add oil to the pan. Add the onions and fry until softened. Continue to add the red chillies, pepper and garlic to the pan and fry for about 5 minutes.

2. Add the spices to the pan and stir well. Fry for a further minute.

3. Add the mince beef to the pan. Stir to break up the mince. Cook until browned. This should take about 5-10 minutes.

4. Add the chopped tomatoes, beef stock and dark chocolate to the pan. Reduce to a low heat and allow to simmer. Add the 2 tbspn of tomato purée to the pan. Allow to cook for 15 minutes. Stirring occasionally so the contents doesn't stick to the bottom of the pan.

5. Add the red kidney beans. And cook for a further 10 minutes to allow the beans to heat through. Taste the sauce and season if needed.

6. Sprinkle some grated cheese on top. Serve with tortilla chips or rice.

Spaghetti Bolognese

A classic which I absolutely love. To make it meatier added bacon.

Serves: 4

300g Spaghetti 

1 Onion finely chopped

1 small glass of red wine

1 bay leaf

500g minced beef

4 rashers of back bacon

5 tbps of tomato purée

Worcestershire Sauce

Mug of Beef stock

2 cloves of garlic, crushed

2 tbps of fresh oregano, chopped

Pinch of sugar

Salt and Pepper

1. Fry the bacon in a large frying pan with a bit of olive oil for a couple of minutes

2. Add the onion, bay leaf and garlic and fry until the onions soften.

3. Put the mince beef in the pan and break it up with a wooden spoon in the pan. Fry until it browns.

4. Add the red wine, sugar, salt and pepper, beef stock, tomato purée, couple of dashes of Worcestershire sauce and sugar. Once it begins to boil reduce the heat and let it simmer. The mixture should reduce. While the bolognese is cooking begin to boil the spaghetti in water with a dash of olive oil. 

5. Once the pasta is cooked, drain the water from the pan. Place the pasta into bowls/plates and put the bolognese over the pasta. Serve with grated parmesan cheese (which I didn't have any, when I cooked this dish, woops)