Beef and black bean chilli

Guaranteed to open your sinuses. If you like it hotter add more chillies, but use less if you can’t take the heat.

(Serves four)

250 g black kidney or turtle beans, soaked overnight
2 tbsp olive oil
500 g fresh stewing beef, cut in 1-cm cubes
1 large onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, crushed
2 or 3 red chillies
1 large red pepper, cored, deseeded and diced
2 large tomatoes, skinned and chopped
250 ml Corona Mexican beer or Cisk lager
300 ml beef stock
1 tsp salt
1 tsp dried oregano
Quarter tsp cayenne pepper
2 tsp ground cumin
Half tsp ground cinnamon
10 g dark chocolate or half tsp cocoa powder

Rinse and drain the beans, put them in a pan, cover with water, boil rapidly for 10 minutes and drain again.

Heat the oil and fry the beef in batches until brown. Transfer to a large pan. Fry the onion until soft, stir in the garlic, chillies and red pepper and fry for a minute more, then add to the beef, together with the beans and the rest of the ingredients. Bring to the boil, put the lid on, then just let it simmer gently, giving it an occasional stir, for about one and a half hours, or until the beans are soft and the beef is tender. Add more stock if it begins to look dry.

Serve with a tomato and avocado salsa, tortillas and sour cream. It’s also good spooned over jacket baked potatoes.