Vegetarian Chilli Con Carne [vegetarian/vegan]

It was ages ago when I cooked Chilli Con Carne for the first time and it was so easy: I fried some beef, opened a pack of seasoning fix, added tomatoes and red beans and done! Yes, however much I am embarrassed to admit to it now, I used a fix to make that dish. And what is even more embarrassing, when that ready to prepare packet wasn’t available any more... I stopped cooking Chilli Con Carne.

It took me some time to realize I could make it myself from the scratch and it will taste equally good or even better and furthermore - I will know exactly what is in it. Now after years of preparing proper Chilli Con Carne, I had to face another challenge – cook this dish which main ingredient is meat – without the meat and make it taste like Chilli Con Carne. I think I may have succeeded ;-)

INGREDIENTS (for 4 portions with leftovers):

2 tbsp olive oil,

1 onion finely chopped,

2 garlic cloves finely chopped,

2 tsp ground cumin,

1.5 chilli powder,

1 tsp salt,

500g mushrooms (champignons) finely chopped,

1 tin (approx. 400g) chopped tomatoes,

200ml tomato passata,
1 tin red beans,

5-10g dark chocolate (at least 70% cocoa).

To serve:

Sour cream,

Grated Cheddar cheese,

Cooked rice.

METHOD:

1. Heat the olive oil in a big frying pan; add the onions and garlic, sweat on a medium heat for 5 minutes.
2. Add the cumin and chilli, fry for a minute.
3. Add the mushrooms and fry for 3-5 minutes.
4. Add chopped tomatoes, passata, salt and fry for 10-15 minutes till the sauce thickens.
5. Add chocolate, red beans and adjust the seasoning. Serve on a bed of cooked rice with a dollop of sour cream and grated cheese on top.