Chilli Con Carne

Start by making the spice mix. In a small bowl, mix together the chilli powder, cayenne pepper, cumin, dried oregano, paprika, onion powder and garlic powder along with 1 tsp of salt and a good crack of black pepper. Set aside.

Heat the oil in a large saucepan over a medium heat then add the onion and fry until softened and golden.

Stir in the bell pepper and cook for a further 2-3 minutes, then crush in the garlic and cook for a further minute until fragrant.

Stir in the minced beef / ground beef and fry until browned all over. Make sure you stir continuously so the beef browns evenly and you don't get any clumps.

Stir in the spice mix and continue to fry for another minute, stirring to allow the spices to coat the beef.

Add the tomatoes and beef stock, along with the chipotle in adobo paste (or tomato paste / tomato puree) and give everything a good stir. Bring to the boil, then turn down the heat and simmer for 25 minutes, stirring every 15-10 minutes to ensure the sauce doesn't stick to the bottom of you pan. If it gets a bit thick, simply add a little more water.

Drain and rinse the kidney beans then stir into the chilli and cook for a further 5-10 minutes.

Once the sauce has thickened, turn off the heat then squeeze in the juice of 1/2 a lime and stir through a small handful of chopped coriander/cilantro if using. I like to serve my chilli with rice or tacos with a little more fresh coriander/cilantro sprinkled over the top and an extra wedge of lime.