MY GREEN CHILLI CON CARNE
You really want to use tomatillos (a relation of physalis) for this chile verde, but in their absence, the combination of tomatoes and green peppers is fine. This is great served with the Green Apple Salsa (see here).
SERVES SIX–EIGHT
PREP: 15 MINS
COOK: 10–15 MINS
olive oil
800g (1¾lb) pork or beef mince, or a mixture
2 handfuls sage leaves, chopped
2 onions, roughly chopped
3 garlic cloves, finely sliced
2 green peppers, seeded and roughly chopped
6 green chillies, roughly chopped
4 large tomatoes, roughly chopped
½ bunch each of mint, coriander and oregano, leaves picked (save a few coriander leaves for the garnish)
juice of 1 lime
4 spring onions, finely sliced
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
To serve:
4 flour tortillas, warmed
sour cream
Heat a good glug of olive oil in a large pan over a medium heat. Add the mince, sage and a good pinch of salt and pepper. Cook for a few minutes until coloured, stirring occasionally. Transfer to a bowl.
In the same pan, add some more oil, then add the onions, garlic, peppers and chillies and fry for 15 minutes over a medium heat until soft. Return the meat to the pan, and continue cooking for another 5 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes – it should be pretty dry, but add a little water if you’re worried. Turn the heat down and leave to bubble for about 10–15 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a blender, whiz together the mint, coriander and oregano with a pinch of salt until you have a green paste. Squeeze in the lime, then stir this into the meat, followed by the spring onions. Garnish with the reserved coriander leaves. Serve with warm tortillas, a dollop of sour cream and the Green Apple Salsa if you fancy.
