Chilli gravy

Chilli gravy

Servings:	Servings: 4 - Makes 4 cups of chilli gravy
Calories per serving:	216
Ready in:	55 minutes
Prep. time:	5 minutes
Cook time:	50 minutes
Difficulty:
Recipe author:	JuliaBalbilla
First published:	24th October 2012

OK chilli freaks, here's a chance to excel! In common with chillies, chilli gravy goes with just about anything.

It is great over any barbecued meats and sausages and mandatory for Tex-Mex meals.

The beauty is that you can tailor the flavours to suit your tastes. It also freezes well in 'meal-sized' portions.

3 tablespoons olive oil (or the less healthy lard option!)
2 big garlic cloves, peeled and crushed.
1 medium onion, peeled and sliced.
2 tablespoons lardons (or home smoked bacon, chopped).
Your own variety of dried chillies, powdered in a coffee grinder - about 3 tablespoons when ground, or of course commercial chilli powder.
¼ teaspoon cumin seeds, ground in a coffee grinder
¼ teaspoon dried oregano
2 cups water
2 cups beef stock
1 tablespoon masa harina
Sea salt to taste

Sauté the onions, garlic and lardons on a medium heat in the olive oil until soft, about 7 minutes.
Add the herbs and spice and mix well.
Add the liquids, just bring to the boil and immediately reduce to a simmer and cook, uncovered for 30 minutes.
Use a little of the stock to mix the masa harina to a paste and then add back into the stock, whisk well and simmer for another 10 minutes.
Taste and season with salt if required.

Cheat, cheat, cheat!

I found half a pot of commercial onion gravy in the freezer which prompted this recipe. (I wanted something to liven up some meatballs).

If you are starting with a ready-made (onion) gravy, just omit the olive oil, lardons, onions, garlic, stock and water.

Probably not at all authentic, but the juice of 1 lime, 2 teaspoons of brown sugar and a tablespoon of tomato puree rounds this off nicely.

See also