Spicy Beef and Bean Chili

If you're looking for a chili so spicy that it curls your hair, this isn't what you're looking for: this has a little heat, but not enough to really fix up your sinuses. It's delicious, simple and hearty. It was also my first time ever using a chili pepper, so I wanted to start small. I tend to make my chili a bit on the liquidy-er side, so if you want yours thicker, try draining the second can of tomatoes before adding it. You can keep the tomato liquid for making soup. Also, sorry for the poor-quality pictures: the chili was steaming up my camera lens, so it was hard to photograph. This recipe makes 6 servings; remember that chili freezes well.

Ingredients:

1 pound of lean ground beef

2 cups of beans (I used pinto)

1 onion

4 cloves of garlic

1 jalapeno pepper

2 796ml cans of diced tomatoes with no added salt

1/2 tablespoon salt

pepper to taste

1 teaspoon ground cumin

2 teaspoons paprika

1/2 teaspoon cayenne powder

1/4 teaspoon dried oregano

1 and 1/2 tablespoons apple syrup (or other syrup)

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

juice of 1 lime

you'll also need:

a big pot

heat proof spoon

a few bowls to put your ingredients in

1. remove the seeds and ribs from the jalapeno pepper. Dice it as finely as possible and put it in a bowl. Set aside.

2. dice the onion and put it in a bowl. Crush the garlic cloves, mince them, and add them to the onion. Set aside.

3. brown the hamburger in the pot over medium heat, stirring frequently and breaking it up with the back of your spoon. When it's browned, add the jalapeno pepper, stir to mix, and let cook for a few minutes. Be careful to to inhale the cooking vapours.

4. increase the heat to medium-high and add the garlic and onions. Cook, stirring frequently, until the onion starts to soften.

5. meanwhile, in a small bowl combine the salt, pepper, cumin, paprika, cayenne, and oregano. When the onion has begun to soften, reduce the heat to medium and add the seasoning blend to the pot, stirring to evenly coat. Cook for about a minute, until fragrant.

6. add the two cans of tomatoes with their liquid. Let the mixture simmer for about 10 minutes.

7. add the beans, syrup, lime juice and mustard, stirring well to incorporate each addition (feel free to mix the mustard, juice and syrup before adding).

8. simmer the chili, uncovered, for 45 minutes to an hour, stirring occasionally.

9. serve the chili, but wait a few minutes before eating it. I served out one portion right away, two for the fridge, and a big three-portion container for the freezer.

I made this recipe up.