A HAPPIER BLOG ENTRY with no unpleasant surprises, nor native animals. This is simply the chilli recipe. You will need to light a camp fire. Begin at 3pm to 4pm: this is a key element to the process. First, let the fire get hot, then cool down a bit so it's plenty of coals and a little bit of flame, not too much. Warm up your camp oven or cookpot.

• A big chunk of beef, say 400g or so, cut into chunks. Chuck or rump steak. Leave the fat on.
• Flour
• A 400gm tin of diced tomatoes
• Cayenne pepper or chilli powder
• An onion
• Lots of garlic
• Spoonful of chipotle
• Frijoles negros or beans or some kind of beans. If you want to. If you don't you don't have to. Don't overthink this
• Fresh chilli
• Oil
• Cinnamon
• Oregano
• Chicken or vegetable stock to fill to nearly the top of the pot.

To serve:

• Sour cream
• Tortillas
• Salsa with avocado, cherry tomatoes, some of the fresh chilli,
• Lime

Toss the diced beef in flour and cayenne pepper. Brown each of the bits in batches. Now fry some onion, the garlic, then once they're brown, add the tomato, beans (see my note), chilli, the chipotle, and the spices. Now this is the important part: set a timer to stir it every 40 minutes adding liquid to stop it drying out. Open a tin of beer. Cook for three to four hours or until the meat falls apart. Serve with heaps of sour cream and the salsa. By the time you have finished the sun has gone down and it is dinner time.

Is this authentic? It is not. Notoriously Australia is the country where Mexican food goes to be transmutated beyond recognition. This is probably barely even recognisable as Tex-Mex. I take my own part in this process and repeat. Do not overthink this.

« Lizard /