Amanda’s gluten-free easy peasy spicy chilli

Chilli is simple and complex at the same time. It’s a dish nearly everyone will eat, but you need to take you time with it. Not that you’ll be at the hob for hours or anything, just that you need to let it rest at least an hour, preferably more, to allow all the flavours to combine and become something awesome.

Ideally this is great to have friends over and eat family style at the table. When people come over I cook this because it’s easy to prepare earlier in the day and reheat later. Also, this is gluten free, but do you think I tell my guests that? Hell no! If they know they start comparing it to tasteless and flavourless dishes they associate with being gluten free. This is not one of those tasteless meals. You can spice it up as much as, or as little as you like!

The below recipe will feed 4 people with decent portions, or as we do, two people for two nights!

Instructions

Step 1

The obvious spice is chili, but you'll need some garlic, salt and pepper too. Chop up your vegetables like so.

Step 2

Fry the life out of the lardons in the pot. Don't worry when the bottom gets a little black, it's all good and flavourful. Take the lardons out of the and pop them in a bowl.

Step 3

Fry the mince. Do it in sections so you don't stew the mince. it tends to go all chewy if you do it all together. Pop the section you've just cooked on top of the lardons. Also, right now you're frying it in the fried lardon juices... mmm

Step 4

Pop all the meat back into the pot and add all the chopped veg. Stir around for about 5 minutes and add the passata di pomodoro. Stir and in about 10 minutes it'll get all juicy and thick.

Step 5

Spices! Start with half a teaspoon of garlic and chili. I say half a teaspoon with the chili because it's so easy to add more spice, but harder to take it away. Add one piece of dark chocolate, let it melt in, and stir. This is optional, but chocolate does this magic thing that brings out the chili. Add another half teaspoon of chili... TASTE! Stir and taste, stir and taste, repeat! Pepper the life out of it and just a pinch of salt.

Step 6

Taste and check if it's a little sweet. Sometimes the carrots can make it a bit sweet. Cut it through with a little white wine vinegar or if you've some gluten free Worchester sauce chuck it in, stir, and leave to sit.

Step 7

And voila. You can then add rice if you wish...

There are a few ways to serve this.

1. You can make a burrito bowl with rice, guacamole, sour cream, and cheese.
2. NACHOS! Party food time with chili and nachos! (gluten free are available in shops like Nourish etc)
3. Wrap it in lettuce. I love piling it on baby gem lettuce and shoving it in. There is no dignity when it comes to eating it this
way!
4. Chili and potato: whether it’s mash or baked potato and topped with sour cream and cheese it’s awesome!