Cottage chilli hotpot
By Jane Hornby
The ultimate make-ahead comfort food dish – if you’re spending a weekend in the country this dish will defrost as you travel
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Prep:20 mins
Cook:3 hrs
- Serves 6
- Easy
Nutrition per serving
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kcal 584
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fat 23g
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saturates 8g
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carbs 55g
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sugars 16g
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fibre 8g
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protein 38g
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salt 1.27g
Ingredients
- 800g braising steaks, cubed
- 2 tbsp plain flour, seasoned well
- 4 tbsp olive oil
- 300ml red wine
- 2 red onions, cut into chunks
- 2 carrots, cut into chunks
- 4 garlic cloves, bashed to remove skin
- 2 red peppers, deseeded, cut into chunks
- 1 fresh red chilli, deseeded and sliced
- few thyme sprigs, plus 1 tbsp leaves
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tsp each ground cumin and coriander
- ½ tsp each cinnamon and chilli flakes
- 2 x 400g cans chopped plum tomatoes
- 2 tsp caster or granulated sugar
- 250ml good beef stock
- 400g can red kidney beans, drained
- 1kg potatoes
- knob of butter
Method
Toss the beef in flour, then brown half in a pan, using 1 tbsp oil. Once browned, spoon into a bowl. Add 100ml wine to the pan and scrape up any bits. Reduce a little, then pour into the bowl with the cooked beef. Wipe the pan and repeat with the remaining beef and another 100ml wine. Meanwhile, whizz the onions, carrots and garlic in a food processor until finely chopped.
Add 2 tbsp oil to the pan and tip in the chopped veg, peppers, fresh chilli, thyme sprigs and bay. Fry for 10 mins. Tip in the spices, cook for 1 min, then add the rest of the wine and reduce by half. Add the tomatoes, sugar, beef, winey juices and stock, season, then simmer for 1½-2 hrs until the meat is meltingly tender. Stir in the beans and allow to cool.
Peel and slice the potatoes about 5mm thick, then boil for 5 mins. Drain, then tip back into pan. Add the butter and thyme leaves, season, then toss to coat. Tip the chilli mix into a 35 x 25cm dish, then layer the potatoes on top. Dot with butter. Cover with cling film and cool completely if freezing. Will freeze for 1 month – defrost before cooking. Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6 and bake for 50 mins-1 hr, until the sauce is bubbling and potatoes golden. Serve with soured cream and green veg.
