Chilli con Carne – Styrian interpretation
Mexican cuisine is not only delicious, but also full of fun and often features chilli. A popular and delicious recipe is chilli con carne, which we prepare again and again: As lunch or dinner, but also when friends have booked in for a cosy evening, chilli con carne can make for a perfect evening. Even if you should follow original preparation methods, I always take the liberty of refining recipes with a Styrian touch or modifying them a little. But before we dive into the preparation, let’s take a look at the history and background of chilli.
Chilli con carne is a popular Mexican dish that is known all over the world. The history of chilli dates back to the Aztecs, who prepared a similar stew with meat and chillies as early as the 16th century. The Aztecs believed that chillies had a special magic and gave them strength and courage. After the Spanish conquest of Mexico in the 16th century, the use of chillies in cooking spread throughout the world.
The original version of chilli con carne uses kidney beans, but in my Styrian interpretation I will replace them with Styrian beetle beans. The beetle bean is a regional speciality from Styria, Austria, and is characterised by its distinctive grain and nutty flavour. By using beetle beans, we give this traditional Mexican dish a unique Styrian twist.
So let’s get started and prepare this hearty and spicy chilli con carne with Styrian beetle beans. Your taste buds will be delighted! Just follow my simple step-by-step instructions and let the flavours seduce you.
Preparation time: 50 minutes
INGREDIENTS
- 1 onion
- 2 cloves of garlic
- 2 peppers (red and yellow; approx. 400 g)
- 1 fresh green pepper
- 2 medium hot chillies
- 2 tablespoons sunflower oil
- 500 g minced beef
- 50 g tomato paste (2 times concentrated)
- ½ tsp sugar
- 1 tsp salt
- 400 ml beef stock
- 2 cans of chunky tomatoes (400 g each)
- 1 can of Styrian beetle beans (drained weight 240 g)
- 1 small can of maize (drained weight 140 g)
- freshly ground pepper
- some chilli flakes (optional)
PREPARATION
- Peel and dice the onion and garlic. Wash the peppers and chillies, drain and remove the seeds. Cut the peppers and chillies into cubes and the chillies into fine strips.
- Heat the oil in a large saucepan. Fry the minced meat, diced onion and garlic for 3-4 minutes. Add the pepper and chillies and fry for about 1 minute.
- Add the tomato purée and sugar, fry briefly, mix and season with salt. Add the stock and tomatoes and simmer for about 25 minutes.
- Put the beetle beans and maize in a sieve and drain. Add both to the pot and heat briefly. Season with salt, pepper and chilli flakes if desired. Serve with freshly baked baguette. We had dark farmhouse bread to match the Styrian component.