Chilli con carne

Credit and permission to share: The Future.

I will never forget (sometime in the late 90’s) sitting with Mam around a PC in our family terraced house I grew up in.  For some reason, Mam decided the place to buy a personal computer was Waitrose (we weren’t Waitrose shoppers).  Anyway, the PC also came with a free email so we immediately decided to set one up - a family email, even though we had no one to email and were aware that you should never trust the internet.  The email was clkj@waitrose.com and I reckon no one ever got an email from that address. 

After hours setting up, we sat at the tiny fold away desk, plugged everything in, disabled the landline (remember, you couldn’t get internet without using the landline and preventing anyone else from using the phone).  After some noises and rumblings, I looked at Mam, she looked at me, and she said ‘are we surfing’.

To this day I have no fucking idea if we were surfing or not, but I will remember that moment for ever.

#InternationalShareYourRecipeStoryDay is celebrated on my Mam’s birthday.  And I think it is fitting to add the final two recipe stories here, via AI.

Ingredients

• 1 lb (450 g) ground beef

• 1 onion, chopped

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• 1 bell pepper, diced

• 1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes

• 1 can (15 oz) kidney beans, drained and rinsed

• 2 tbsp tomato paste

• 2 tsp chili powder

• 1 tsp cumin

• 1 tsp paprika

• Salt and pepper, to taste

• Olive oil, for cooking

• Optional toppings: shredded cheese, sour cream, chopped cilantro

  
  

Instructions

1. In a large pot, heat a tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat.

2. Add the chopped onion and bell pepper, sautéing until soft.

3. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for an additional minute.

4. Add the ground beef, cooking until browned. Drain excess fat if necessary.

5. Mix in the diced tomatoes, kidney beans, tomato paste, chili powder, cumin, paprika, salt, and pepper.

6. Bring the mixture to a simmer, then reduce the heat to low.

7. Cover and let it cook for at least 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

8. Adjust seasoning to taste and serve hot, topped with optional ingredients if desired.

Serving Suggestions

• Serve with rice or cornbread.

• Pair with a side salad for a complete meal.

• Enjoy with tortilla chips for a crunchy texture.