Pinto Bean Chilli: Mark II!

by Amy

Substitutions: That's right, this is pinto bean free! Having been inspired by other subs, this has both butter beans and kidney beans.

Rightso this is just a mini-post because I know we have pretty much exhausted the whole pinto bean chilli conversation and we have all moved on etc. I just made this again for some people who came over for dinner and I thought I'd take a snap of the leftovers in proof of its sauce thickness. For why? I used olive oil! PROPER REAL OLIVE OIL. Just look at the shine on this bitch.

It tasted about 15% nicer than the previous times I'd made it. I suppose my 1 Cal spray addiction is tanamount to a cooking disability. Will defo be cracking open the olive oil for guests in future.

Also, the bean choices here were an absolute winner. Butter beans! Nicely done, Rhys.

Pinto Bean Chilli

Pinto Bean Chilli
by Rhys

Rating: 8/10 or maybe 9/10

Substitutions: 
Bloody Pinto Beans - Why does nobody stock these?! I used butter beans, because I love butter beans, and black beans, because I found some. 
Fresh Oregano - This was also not stocked in my local supermarket so I used more coriander and a bit of dried oregano.


The triumvirate of Pinto Bean Chillies is complete! And there's nary a pinto bean between them. Well I like my beans better. Butter beans are delish, obviously, and black beans are the baddest. What's so good about a pinto anyway, apart from its hilarious name?

OK, so having been warned that this was a really spicy recipe, I only used two green chillies, and instead of chopping the garlic, I crushed it in a pestle and mortar with salt and the spices. And then I added the chillies and crushed it all some more until I had... a paste! I love paste. And when I put it in the onions it was possibly the most beautiful smell I'd ever smelled...

Anyway, the recipe went a bit wrong after that, because everything happens all at once and I am the kind of cook who does things as they appear in the recipe. But often when an ingredient appears in the recipe, it has already been cubed or diced, or measured or crushed, or whatever; I just wasn't prepared. But, some way, some how, I coped.

And it is delicious! I imagine that mine is on the watery side (possibly because I wasn't that good at doing the liquid measuring), but it was so tasty, I couldn't believe it, kind of. And mine was the perfect heat level, for me. It has a nice kick but you can taste all the flavours. It's really just a spicy, beany ratatouille but I think it's now going to be a stock one-pot favourite.

Does anyone else wish we'd done a taste off?

Pinto Bean Chilli

by Carol

Substitutions:

All the spices I used were ground not fresh

I used 2 onions not 3

1 courgette not 2

Kidney beans not pinto beans

Rating: 9/10

Ok, so I used a few different things but my heart was in the right place. Firstly I would like to mention that this IS SO HOT. Hugh says to use 2 – 3 green chillies. I used 2 and I still can’t really feel my lips. Amy, why did you not mention this?! What size were the ones you used and how many?

Although it was hot I still think it was delicious. I usually use chilli powder or dried chillies in Chilli and the proper ones gave it a really fresh taste that went really well with all the veg in it. The courgettes were delicious because courgettes are delicious and the red wine was an amazing addition. It made the sauce go really dark and thick. The kidney beans worked really well but I think there could have done with being a few more in there. So I am determined to track down the pintos and ADD them to the kidneys. Oh yeah. I think it would make it a bit stodgier which can only be a good thing.

Would I make this again? Well, it wasn’t warm and comforting like my usual Chilli recipe (http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/3228/chilli-con-carne which I have veggified by swapping meat for lentils) but it was more like a taste explosion in my face. And so yes, I would definitely make it again. That isn’t to say that the old faithful will be out the door but when I want a cocktail of herbs and spices and to not be able to feel my lips or tongue for a few hours I’ll go for this one.

We ate it with crème fraîche and it was definitely needed. So be warned.

Pinto Bean Chilli with Lemon Guacamole!

Pinto Bean Chilli with Lemony Guacamole!
by Amy

Pinto Bean Chilli
Substitutions: 200g dried cannellini beans instead of the tin of pinto beans
One extra pepper
Dried oregano instead of fresh
Rating: 8

So maybe I'll never be a professional food photographer but believe it or not this was pretty lush. Pinto beans are proper hard to get hold of so I used cannellini, which is also a white bean. Next time I might use kidney beans; they have a floury stodginess that I think would work better with the spices, which is probly why kidney beans are the "definitive" chilli bean. Why fight convention, Hugh?

Note: There were a LOT of fresh herbs in this which made it more expensive than it would otherwise be. Dried is probably fine. Incidentally, is coriander an authentic Mexican herb? We seem to be throwing it in everything nowadays.

Lemony Guacamole
Substitutions: none
Rating: 6

Oh si si, me gusta guacamole MUCHOS! Actually the guac wasn't so hot and mostly tasted of lemons. I mean, I like lemons, but everything in its proper place. Maybe the clue is in the title but, in Stu's words, "avocados are expensive so it would be good to be able to taste them". Juice of one whole lemon, Hugh? Let's not go overboard. I couldn't even taste the coriander. TBF maybe I just had an unusually juicy lemon. Next time I'll add juice of just half a lemon, and pause to taste.