SPICY CHILLI WITH GREEN BEANS

This is a real favourite in our house. It’s simple to make and layered with so many deliciously spicy flavours. Green beans with cooling yoghurt and mint provide the perfect foil to the heat of the chilli. You won’t even miss the rice, I promise.

CARB COUNT: 30g per person

Serves 4

800g (1lb 12oz) best-quality minced beef

8 plum tomatoes, halved Vegetable oil, for cooking

2 onions, diced

4 garlic cloves, grated

250g (9oz) chorizo sausage (for cooking), diced

2tbsp cumin seeds

1tbsp chilli powder

3tsp cracked black pepper

2tsp ground coriander

4 celery sticks, tough strings removed, diced

400g tin beef consommé, such as Campbell’s

2-4 green chillies (to taste), sliced, seeds and all

Juice of 1 lime

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

75g (2¾oz) dark chocolate

(70 per cent cocoa solids)

For the green beans

50g (1¾oz) butter

600g (1lb 5oz) fine green beans, finely chopped

2tbsp thick yoghurt

10g (¼oz) mint leaves, roughly chopped Preheat the oven to 190°C/fan 170°C/ gas 5. Put the mince in a roasting tin and roast for 40 minutes, turning every 10 minutes or so, to get a dark, even colour all over the meat. It should be crispy and resemble instant coffee granules. You can colour the meat in a frying pan on the hob if you prefer; just keep stirring until it is dark brown.

Drain in a colander and set aside.

Preheat the grill to high. Place the tomatoes, cut side up, on a tray and grill until caramelised, about 6-8 minutes. Set aside.

Place a large heavy-based pan over a medium-low heat and add a good splash of oil. Add the onions and garlic and sauté, stirring from time to time, until softened, about 10-15 minutes. Add the chorizo and cook until some of its fat renders and colours the onions. Stir in the cumin seeds, chilli powder, cracked black pepper and ground coriander. Cook, stirring, for 5-6 minutes. Stir in the celery, browned mince and grilled tomatoes. Pour in the beef consommé and bring to the boil. Lower the heat to a simmer and cook gently, uncovered, for 1-1½ hours, until thickened to a rich chilli. Stir in the green chillies and lime juice, season with salt and remove from the heat.

To cook the beans, melt the butter in a pan over a medium-high heat.

Add a good splash of water and some salt and pepper. Tip in the green beans and cook for 3-4 minutes until they are just tender. Remove from the heat and stir in the yoghurt and chopped mint. Divide the green beans between warmed bowls, spoon the chilli over and grate some chocolate over the top to serve.