© David Loftus
Pulled brisket chilli
method
For me, the joy of a good chilli isnt mince I want texture. As for guacamole, dont buy the smooth pre-made stuff the authentic stuff is hand-scrunched.
Place the beef on a board and score all over on one side. Bash the cinnamon, cumin, paprika and oregano in a pestle and mortar then rub all over the meat, pushing and rubbing it into the cuts. Season well with salt and pepper, drizzle over a little olive oil and brown the brisket all over in a large pan over a high heat. Place the bay leaves, peppers, tomatoes and stock into a large pot and bring to the boil.
Meanwhile, add the chilli and onion to the pan with the brisket, cook for 5 minutes, or until browned all over then transfer the lot to the large pot, cover, and leave to simmer for 4 to 4½ hours, or until the meat is falling apart. Use 2 forks to gently break, shred and pull the meat apart. Remove the bay, add a little vinegar to taste, add the coriander and adjust the seasoning, if needed.
For the guacamole, squeeze the avocado flesh into a bowl with the coriander, red onion and lime juice. Season, then scrunch in the tomatoes, picking out any large bits of skin. Finely grate in the chilli flesh, mix well and adjust the seasoning. Serve with the chilli, tortillas, yoghurt and a fresh green salad, if you like.
serves:
ingredients
1.5kg beef brisket
1 large cinnamon stick
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon smoked paprika
1 heaped tablespoon dried oregano
2 fresh bay leaves
2 red peppers
2 yellow peppers
2 x 400g tins chopped tomatoes
400ml organic beef stock
34 red chillies, 2 deseeded and sliced
2 red onions, finely sliced
red wine vinegar
½ a bunch of fresh coriander, leaves picked and chopped
for the guacamole
6 perfectly ripe avocados
1 bunch of fresh coriander, leaves torn
1 small red onion, peeled and finely grated
Juice of 45 limes
4 perfectly ripe tomatoes (different colours if you can), roughly chopped
12 fresh red chillies, deseeded
to serve
soft tortillas
Greek-style yoghurt