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Whether it's a classic Chilli Con Carne with beef, or a vegetarian version loaded with luscious kidney beans or black beans, a hot bowl of chilli is hard to beat. At its base is a rich tomato sauce spiced with cayenne, cumin, oregano, chilli and garlic, it's a time honoured staple, with endless variations.
Enjoy chilli with rice, or use it to fill tortillas, tacos or quesadillas. We love them ladled onto smashed baked potatoes, and topped with sour cream, cheese and hot sauce. My inclusion of cocoa powder and coffee is not common, but trust me & give it a try! The cocoa mellows the acidity of the tomatoes and adds a smooth, velvety richness. The coffee adds a sharper note and compliments the other spices. While neither ingredient makes the finished dish taste at all like chocolate or coffee, both lend the dish a background complexity that truly makes the recipe sing. The recipe provides all you need for both a vegetarian and beef version.
For the first recipe of Winter 2024 I wanted to make a soup. Something versatile that most of us could produce with a quick pantry raid.
And so we give you Tuscan Bean & Barley Soup. It's my spin on a classic White Bean Soup & involves a variety of dried beans and some pearled barley. It's a versatile recipe with wiggle room to incorporate the beans and grains you have on hand in whatever ratio you fancy. The only caveat would be to stick to beans that hold their shape when cooked and don’t get too mushy. The reason this recipe works is because even though different beans and grains I use need different cooking times, the ones that cook the quickest don’t dissolve into the soup by the time the slower cooking pulses are done. This is such a gloriously comforting soup. We look forward to you trying it out - let us know how it goes! |
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