Who doesn't like a chilli? However if you're expecting this recipe to be the usual combination of mince and a tin of tomatoes with some chilli powder you are in for a big surprise.
This is the recipe your big Le Creuset pan was made for, it takes a bit more work and a hell of a lot more time (around 6 hours) than your average chilli but most of that time involves doing nothing and I think you'll think that in the end the effort is more than worth it.
As usual Jamie brings an interesting spin to the recipe both in the ingredients and how its cooked. The photo above does not do the finished dish justice. Also do not be tempted to miss out on the apple salsa and yoghurt, the salsa alone is a little bit of genius.
nb. The recipe theoretically feeds 10-12 ... we did it for 5 with loads left over
Ingredients
For the Chilli
- 30g dried porcini mushrooms
- 2 tablespoons fennel seeds
- 2 tablespoons coriander seeds
- 2 tablespoons smoked paprika
- 1 butternut squash, (1.2kg)
- olive oil
- 1 kg pork belly, skin removed and bone out
- 1 kg brisket
- 2 large onions
- 2 teaspoons soft light brown sugar
- 150 ml balsamic vinegar
- 2 x 400 g tins of cannellini beans, or chickpeas (I used chickpeas)
- 2 x 400 g tins of chopped plum tomatoes
- 2 red peppers
- 2 yellow peppers
- 2–3 fresh red chillies (I used two, one thai birds eye and one bigger one)
- 30 g fresh coriander
For the salsa:
- 1 red onion
- 2 crisp eating apples
- 3 tablespoons cider vinegar
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Method
Preheat the oven to 190°C/375°F/gas 5. Pop the mushrooms into a small bowl and just cover with boiling water. Bash the fennel and coriander seeds, paprika and 1 teaspoon each of sea salt and black pepper in a pestle and mortar. Carefully cut the squash in half lengthways, deseed, then chop into 4cm chunks. Toss with half the spice mixture and a drizzle of olive oil on a baking tray. Roast for 50 minutes, or until golden, then remove from the oven and reduce the temperature to 150°C/300°F/gas 2.
Meanwhile, drizzle both cuts of meat with olive oil and rub with the remaining spice mixture, then place a large casserole pan (at least 30cm wide, 8cm deep) on a medium-high heat. Place the pork and the brisket in the pan fat-side down and brown on all sides for around 15 minutes in total, then peel and roughly chop the onions. Remove both meats to a plate, reduce the heat to medium, add the onions and sugar to the fat and fry for 10 minutes, stirring regularly until lightly caramelised. Add the balsamic vinegar and most of the mushroom liquid (discarding any gritty bits). Roughly chop and add the mushrooms, followed by the beans or chickpeas, liquid and all, and the tomatoes, breaking them up with a spoon, then return both meats to the pan. Loosen with a splash of water if needed, then bring to the boil, season, and pop a layer of damp greaseproof paper directly on the surface. Cover with tin foil and cook in the oven for around 5 hours, or until the meat is tender.
Prick the peppers and chillies, then blacken all over on a barbecue or in a griddle pan. Place in a bowl, cover with clingfilm and leave to cool, then peel and deseed them, keeping as much juice as you can for extra flavour. Roughly chop with half the coriander, and toss with a little salt and pepper. When the meat is tender, remove from the oven, break up the meat, then stir in the squash, peppers and chillies. Adjust the consistency with water if needed, taste and season to perfection, then keep warm.
To finish, peel the onion, then finely chop with the apples (core and all) and the remaining coriander. Dress with the cider vinegar and extra virgin olive oil and season to perfection. Serve the chilli with the salsa, bread or rice, and a dollop of yoghurt.
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