Cottage Chilli Hotpot

The ultimate make-ahead comfort food dish - if you're spending a weekend in the country this dish will defrost as you travel

• Cooking Time Prep 20 mins
  Cook 3 hrs
• Skill Level Easy
• Servings Serves 6

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  584

• Protein

  38g

• Carbs

  55g

• Fat

  23g

• Saturates

  8g

• Fibre

  8g

• Sugar

  16g

• Salt

  1.27g

Ingredients

• 800g braising steaks, cubed
• 2 tbsp plain flour, seasoned well
• 4 tbsp olive oil
• 300ml red wine
• 2 red onions, cut into chunks
• 2 carrots, cut into chunks
• 4 garlic cloves, bashed to remove skin
• 2 red peppers, deseeded, cut into chunks
• 1 fresh red chilli, deseeded and sliced
• few thyme sprigs, plus 1 tbsp leaves
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tsp each ground cumin and coriander
• ½ tsp each cinnamon and chilli flakes
• 2 x 400g cans chopped plum tomatoes
• 2 tsp caster or granulated sugar
• 250ml good beef stock
• 400g can red kidney beans, drained
• 1kg potatoes
• knob of butter

Directions

1. Toss the beef in flour, then brown half in a pan, using 1 tbsp oil. Once browned, spoon into a bowl. Add 100ml wine to the pan and scrape up any bits. Reduce a little, then pour into the bowl with the cooked beef. Wipe the pan and repeat with the remaining beef and another 100ml wine. Meanwhile, whizz the onions, carrots and garlic in a food processor until finely chopped.
2. Add 2 tbsp oil to the pan and tip in the chopped veg, peppers, fresh chilli, thyme sprigs and bay. Fry for 10 mins. Tip in the spices, cook for 1 min, then add the rest of the wine and reduce by half. Add the tomatoes, sugar, beef, winey juices and stock, season, then simmer for 1½-2 hrs until the meat is meltingly tender. Stir in the beans and allow to cool.
3. Peel and slice the potatoes about 5mm thick, then boil for 5 mins. Drain, then tip back into pan. Add the butter and thyme leaves, season, then toss to coat. Tip the chilli mix into a 35 x 25cm dish, then layer the potatoes on top. Dot with butter. Cover with cling film and cool completely if freezing. Will freeze for 1 month-defrost before cooking. Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6 and bake for 50 mins-1 hr, until the sauce is bubbling and potatoes golden. Serve with soured cream and green veg.

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