Chilli and Cornbread

I adore cornbread. It has a slightly cakey crumbly texture, and tastes great with a rich spicy pot of chilli. Leftovers, if you're lucky enough to have any, also taste great warmed with butter and honey or jam. 

Mexican is one of my favourite things to cook, and is actually very healthy, especially if you avoid the takeaway version which is often drowned in excessive cheese and sour cream. This chilli is packed with veggies, beans and meat, meaning it's full of protein, vitamins, fibre and it tastes amazing. This recipe also uses cocoa powder, something which is surprisingly common in savoury Mexican dishes. You could swap the cocoa powder for 3 squares of dark chocolate. 

Chilli ingredients (serves 4 - 6): 

• 2 tbsp oil 
• 1 onion, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, crushed 
• roots of 1 bunch of coriander, finely sliced
• 2 celery sticks, diced
• 1 carrot, diced 
• 1 courgette, diced
• 1/2 red or green capsicum, diced
• 1 tbsp ground cumin
• 1 tbsp oregano 
• 1 tsp cinnamon 
• 1 tbsp chilli flakes (adjust to suit taste) 
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp ground pepper
• 500 - 600 grams beef mince 
• 1 tin of kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 cup beef or veggie stock 
• 1 tbsp cocoa powder
• 2 tbsp worcestershire sauce
• fresh coriander leaves, to serve
• sour cream, to serve

In a large saucepan, heat oil on a low heat. Saute onion, garlic, coriander root, celery, carrot, courgette and capsicum for a few minutes till softened. Add spices, cumin, oregano, cinnamon, chilli, salt and pepper. Stir. 

Increase heat, and add beef mince and use a wooden spoon to break up the meat a little. When the meat is nearly completely browned, add the kidney beans, tomato and stock. Add cocoa, and worcestershire sauce. Stir, reduce heat to low and cover to simmer for at least 40 minutes. Stirring occasionally. This is one of those dishes that tastes better the longer it's left, so makes great leftovers too. While the meat is simmering. Get your cornbread on. 

Cornbread ingredients:

• 3/4 cup plain flour
• 1 cup polenta
• 3 tbsp sugar
• 4 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 25 grams butter, melted
• 200ml milk plus 2 tbsp plain yogurt (or 250ml milk) 

Preheat oven to 190 degrees celsius. Grease or line a 25cm square cake tin.

Sift dry ingredients together in a large bowl. Mix wet ingredients in another. Mix the two together and mix until you get a smooth batter (though still slightly grainy because of the polenta). Pour batter into prepared cake tin and bake for 25 - 30 minutes. 

Leave to cool in the tin for 5 - 10 minutes before cutting. Meanwhile remove the lid from the chilli and allow it to thicken a little. 

Serve chilli in bowls with a sprinkling of grated cheese or dollop of sour cream, sprinkle in fresh coriander leaves, and a hunk of cornbread on the side. 

My pickled red onions would also taste great with this dish.