Beef & Bean Chili Mac

[drmoss_ca]

This is a splendid more-ish dish. Gets better the next day, when the pasta absorbs all the spare moisture and it's thicker.

Ingredients:
- 1 lb (450g) minced beef
- 1 medium onion, chopped - 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes
- 1 can (15 oz) kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 can (15 oz) black beans, drained and rinsed
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 2 cups beef broth
- 1 cup uncooked elbow macaroni minimum
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese minimum
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (optional, for extra heat)
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 cups of water
- Fresh cilantro or parsley for garnish (optional)

Fry onion and garlic in oil. Add beef and fry out pinkness. Crumble in the stock cube. Add diced tomatoes and tomato paste, then spices. Add beef stock, the water. Simmer 15 minutes (or longer if you want a thicker consistency), then add macaroni, cover and simmer 8-10 minutes. Add cheese. Dress with cilantro and serve with fresh bread rolls.

[Rufus]

I’m going to make your Chili Mac, but 2 questions:

* Do you use lean or extra lean mince?
* What is the stock cube? Not on ingredients list.

[drmoss_ca]

You can use either kind of minced beef (I often also throw in 1/2lb of stewing steak cubes). The stock cube would be Oxo or the like, and I use a beef stock liquid concentrate rather than buying actual beef stock.
I have learned to let it simmer for a while to reduce the volume that the 2 cups of water add, waiting until the remaining liquid looks about right for the macaroni to absorb. This also ensures the stewing steak is tender. You can use up to two cups of macaroni depending on how many portions you want. With two, you will get six or seven generous portions.

Chris