Preparation
- Heat the oil in a large pot over low to medium heat. Soften the onion, carrots, celery and dried herbs for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring occasionally, without letting them colour; add a splash of water if needed.
- Stir in the garlic and pepper and cook for another 5 minutes, until the pepper starts to soften.
- Sprinkle in the chilli powder and smoked paprika, turn the heat to medium and stir for 1 minute, then fry the tomato purée with them for 1 minute.
- Add the beans, sweetcorn, chopped tomatoes and stock, bring everything to the boil, then simmer over low heat for 25 to 35 minutes, until the carrots and beans are tender and the sauce has thickened.
- Stir in the fresh chilli shortly before the end of cooking. Season with salt and cayenne pepper and serve with rice, grated Cheddar and soured cream.
Drink with it
Pale lager · excellent match
Mexican lager or Helles, ice cold
Coldness and carbonation tame the chilli heat, and the slender malt sweetness rounds off the tomato and beans.
Pils or Helles: What's the Difference?Dark beer · excellent match
Vienna-style dark lager or Schwarzbier, well chilled
The roasted malts pick up the smoked paprika and the fried tomato purée, and the light malt sweetness soaks up the heat.
Which beer goes with food? More than just pils with barbecueRed wine · good match
Fruity Zinfandel or Garnacha, lightly chilled
Ripe dark fruit and soft tannins suit the beans and tomato; with a lot of chilli, however, the alcohol stands out sharply.
Which wine pairs with food? A simple approach to choosingAged tequila · good match
Tequila Reposado on ice with a splash of water
Wood and vanilla notes from the cask form a bridge to the smoked paprika; ice and water keep the alcohol low.
Tequila Blanco, Reposado, and Añejo: what aging changes