Chilli con carne chipotle powered.

Now, I like a good chilli, but when I developed my chilli, back in the day, I was a vegi... So I do a kick ass vegi chilli, but don't have a really good meat chilli to go to.  I've been researching it for a little while, and since getting the new Chipotles thought now was a good time to try again.
in the past I've tried using fresh spices and not been happy with the depth of flavours in the finished dish. Reading a bit led me to try making my own chilli powder using the sublime chipotle peppers.
Finding a decent recipe for making your own chilli seasoning is relatively easy as the foodies of the USA have left the odd recipe lying around. I borrowed from this one by Alton Brown.  http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/abs-chili-powder-recipe/index.html

However my other half is less keen on all things flaming hot, so I tempered the recipe using both sweet and piquant smoked paprika, 3 chipotle chillies, 3 dried Indian chillies, dried oregano, allspice whole cumin and garlic powder. All the whole spices got dry pan toasted then ground and mixed with the others in a blender. The smell is great, rich and smokey and the heat subdued, but you can add heat but can't take it away, as I have found to my cost at other times...

The chilli powder with the chillies in it made I got some other bits together. As well as the bits in the picture I dry fried and drained some beef mince, and fried some lardons. Next I added the onions and garlic, sauted till soft and coloured then added the mince and spice.  Once in and cooked off for a few minutes a good crust of flavors was beginning to form on the base of the pan.Most of a can of finest Murphys stout loosened the goodness and once reduced added to the overall smoke flavours.

Tomatoes, salt and some kidney beans are stired through then an hour in the oven with the lid on. Smelled good, looked good, tasty... How to serve it? On rice? Tortilla? Decided on baked in the still hot oven wrapped in soft corn tortilla with grated cheese and coriander, topped with more chilli and cheese... Healthy appetite required but 4 hours weeding the lottie in the weak January sun had sorted that! Lime and coriander coleslaw on the side and some guacamole... Added a fresh and zingy note and dinner was done. Feedback from the Mrs was 'this isn't a burrito its an enchilada' but she did eventually admit the chilli was great too.