Recipe: Never-ending Nutrient-dense Chilli

A cheap & cheerful recipe by Sascha Landskron, local mum and dietician

EQUIPMENT:

• Chopping board

• Sharp knife

• Soup ladle

• The hugest soup pot and longest wooden spoon you can find

• Several glass freezer-to-oven casserole dishes with lids

• Several small freezer-safe containers with lids

• Responsible adult to watch the kids while you cook

INGREDIENTS:

2 tbsp olive oil

4 red onions, diced

4 peppers, a mixture of colours, diced

4 large carrots, minced

4 large celery stalks, minced

4 garlic cloves, minced or crushed

500g minced beef (optional)

250g dried red lentils, rinsed and drained

4 x 400ml tinned tomatoes

2 x 400ml tinned kidney beans, black beans, cannellini beans and/or

chickpeas, drained and rinsed

800ml low salt vegetable or beef stock

hot sauce to taste

2 tsp paprika

½-2 tsp chilli powder

2 tsp ground coriander

2 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp cinnamon

12 flour tortillas

grated cheese

METHOD:

1. Heat the oil over medium heat in the pot, add the onions, celery and carrots and gently sauté for a few minutes.

2. Add the minced beef (optional) and fry until brown.

3. Add the paprika, chilli powder, coriander, cumin & cinnamon (note: you don’t need to use all of these spices if you don’t have them in your cupboard).

4. Stir in the lentils, tomatoes, beans/chickpeas and stock and bring to a boil. Turn the heat down and put and lid on a simmer for about 45 minutes.

5. You will have a massive pot of chilli. Serve some for dinner tonight. Let the pot cool slightly while you are eating.

6. After dinner spoon up 1-2 ladles of chilli into each tortilla and roll up. Line up the tortillas seam side down in a glass freezer dish. When the dish is full (with about 4-6 rolled up enchiladas) sprinkle with grated cheese. Put on the lid and put in the freezer. Make as many of these casserole dishes as you have tortillas.

7. Portion the rest of the chilli into family meal-sized pots and let cool for a few minutes longer on the counter. You will probably have quite a few family dinners from this one pot of chilli.

8. When it’s time to use the enchiladas, defrost in the fridge overnight and then bake in the oven at 180˚C until the insides are bubbling and hot and the cheese is melted and slightly browned.

9. When it’s time to use the pots of chilli, defrost in the fridge overnight and heat on the hob or in the microwave until bubbly and hot throughout.

Chilli and enchiladas are best served with guacamole or sliced avocados and salsa or hot sauce and sliced jalapenos. This way you can make the chilli relatively mild for little delicate tummies, and those who like spice can add it at the table.

Find recipes and food ideas to save money and reduce waste on: www.respectfood.com

Lots more recipes in back issues of Boom Magazine!