Sluttishly Savoury: Braised Steak Chilli

I get stressed out if I don't cook regularly. It means I'm not looking after myself, it means I'm staying out too late and working too hard. Pottering around the kitchen on a Sunday makes me happy and if I'm not doing that, everything feels... off kilter.

This Sunday, I needed to rectify that.

I've had a craving for chilli for about four weeks, but I needed something more robust, something that would feed a small army (I'm in danger of sounding like a Jamie Oliver cookbook now). I love cooking like this. For me, the best kind of cooking is where I leave everything to bubble away for hours while I watch eight episodes of Don't Tell The Bride. Opting for braising steak instead of minced beef gives you time to do what you want, and if you're not too impatient you're rewarded with brilliant flavours and tender meat.

Braised steak chilli
(serves a small army, or 6 hungry people with rice)

You'll need:

• 1kg stewing or braising steak
• 1 onion
• 200g mushrooms (optional, but I like 'em)
• 1 clove of garlic
• 2 tins chopped tomatoes
• 2 red chillies
• 1tbsp cumin
• 1tsp hot chilli powder
• 1 tin kidney beans
• Sour cream
• Coriander

Make it!

1. Preheat your oven to about 150 degrees/gas mark 2
2. Season and brown the meat in a pan, in batches with the onions, garlic and mushrooms.
3. Transfer to a casserole dish and pour over the tomatoes, adding the spices and chillies. Play around with this - you've got time to add more spice throughout cooking so don't go too hot too early. Stir everything together.
4. Pop the lid on and transfer to the warm oven, leaving to bubble away for about two hours (or, in Sluttery time, two episodes of Don't Tell The Bride).
5. Add the kidney beans, and any more spices you feel it needs, giving it all a proper stir - this is totally up to you, but you should feel a low, building heat coming through.
6. Put back in the oven for a couple more hours. Maybe watch some America's Next Top Model.
7. You're done! Serve with rice, a dollop of sour cream and a sprinkling of coriander. And maybe an episode of Poirot.

Image from carol.baby on Flickr. Your chilli will totally look like that. I'm living out of boxes (it's a long story), I'll find my camera soon, I promise.