Preparation
- Fry the onions, garlic, peppers and chilli in the oil in a large pot until they take on some colour.
- Add the mince and fry until crumbly. Fry the paprika only briefly so that it does not turn bitter, then deglaze with the stock and red wine.
- Stir in the tomatoes, tomato purée, cumin, thyme, bay leaf, sugar, salt and pepper and simmer over low heat for 45 minutes. If it gets too thick, add a little water.
- Add the beans and sweetcorn, stir in the cocoa powder and leave to simmer for another 15 minutes.
- Remove the bay leaf and season with salt, pepper and a little chilli powder if you like, going carefully with the heat.
Drink with it
Pale lager · excellent match
Cool, mild lager, well chilled
The coolness and fine carbonation refresh against the medium heat, and the malt body carries the tomato and mince without emphasising the heat the way a heavily hopped beer would.
Pils or Helles: What's the Difference?Dark beer · good match
Dark lager or Schwarzbier
Roasted notes mirror the browned mince and the cocoa note in the chilli.
Which beer goes with food? More than just pils with barbecueRed wine · good match
Zinfandel or Primitivo, fruit-forward, not too high in alcohol
Ripe dark fruit and spice suit the tomato and cumin; alcohol and tannin should stay low, as they would otherwise amplify the chilli heat.
Which wine pairs with food? A simple approach to choosingMellow whisky · good match
Bourbon on ice or as a highball with ginger ale
Vanilla and caramel from the new oak meet the cocoa and roasted flavours; ice and dilution take the edge off the alcohol, which would otherwise stoke the heat.
Whisky with food: cheese, chocolate, and savory dishes