Black Bean Chilli with Salsa
Serves 5·Added 5 May 2026 by Tom Melhuish
Main
Ingredients
| 1 | lb | braising steak, cut into very small pieces(450 g) |
| 8 | oz | black beans(225 g) |
| 2 | pack | fresh coriander(15 g each; reserve leaves for salsa) |
| 2 | tablespoons | olive oil |
| 2 | medium | onions, chopped |
| 1 | clove | garlic, crushed |
| 2 | green chillies, de-seeded and chopped small | |
| 1 | tablespoon | plain flour(rounded) |
| 2 | tins | chopped tomatoes(14 oz / 400 g each) |
| 1 | large | red pepper |
| 1/2 | lime, juice | |
| salt | ||
| 2 | large | tomatoes(for the salsa) |
| 1 | ripe, firm avocado(for the salsa) | |
| 1/2 | small | red onion, finely chopped(for the salsa) |
| reserved chopped coriander leaves(for the salsa) | ||
| 1/2 | lime, juice(for the salsa) | |
| a few | drops | Tabasco sauce(for the salsa) |
| salt and freshly milled black pepper(for the salsa) | ||
| 4 | tablespoons | crème fraîche(to serve) |
Method
1.Either pre-soak the beans overnight or start this recipe 3 hours ahead of time by placing the beans in a large saucepan, covering them with cold water and bringing them up to boiling point and boiling for 10 minutes. Then turn the heat off and let them soak for 3 hours. Towards the end of the soaking time pre-heat the oven to gas mark 2, 300°F (150°C).
2.Strip the leaves off the coriander stalks into a bowl, cover with clingfilm and place them in the fridge. Then chop the coriander stalks very finely indeed.
3.Heat half the oil in the casserole and cook the onions, garlic, coriander stalks and chillies gently for about 5 minutes. Then transfer them to a plate, spoon in the rest of the oil, turn the heat up high, add about a third of the beef and brown it well, keeping it on the move. Then remove it and brown the rest in 2 batches.
4.Return everything to the casserole and sprinkle in the flour, stir it in to soak up the juices, then add the drained beans, followed by the tomatoes. Stir well and bring it up to simmering point.
5.Put the lid on and transfer the casserole to the oven to cook for an initial 1 1/2 hours.
6.Towards the end of that time, de-seed and chop the pepper into smallish pieces. Then when the time is up, stir the pepper in to join the meat and beans. Put the lid back on and give it a further 30 minutes’ cooking.
7.While the meat finishes cooking, make up the salsa. Skin the tomatoes by pouring boiling water over them, then leaving for exactly 1 minute before draining and slipping the skins off. Then cut each tomato in half and, holding each half over a saucer, squeeze gently to extract the seeds. Now chop the tomato flesh as finely as possible.
8.Halve the avocado, remove the stone, cut each half into 4 and peel off the skin. Chop the avocado into minutely small dice, and do the same with the onion. Finally combine everything together in a bowl, adding seasoning, the juice of half the lime, half the chopped coriander and a few drops of Tabasco.
9.Before serving the chilli, add salt, tasting as you add. Then stir in the rest of the coriander leaves and the juice of half the lime.
Recipe Notes
AI · may be inaccurate
Tips
Serve with plain brown basmati rice.
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