Five summer dinners for when it is so cold you want to put the central heating on

The weather has been unseasonably wintry over the last week, demanding family dinners designed to heat us up

Dinners for summer days with a winter feel.

Chocolate beef chilli

Chilli turns gloriously rich when you add a small bit of dark chocolate. You don't taste it, don't worry - it deepens the flavour and makes this dish a crowd-pleaser every time

Servings

6

Preparation Time

 15 mins

Cooking Time

 2 hours 15 mins

Total Time

 2 hours 30 mins

Course

 Main

Cuisine

 American

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp olive oil

• 300g minced beef

• 1 small white onion, diced

• 3-inch fresh ginger, grated

• 3 garlic cloves, crushed

• 1 tsp ground cumin

• 1 tsp ground cinnamon

• 1 tsp dried chili flakes

• 100g smoked bacon lardons

• 100g chorizo, cut into small pieces

• 150ml red wine

• 1 x 400g tin cherry tomatoes

• 300ml water

• 1 tbsp brown sugar

• 2 tsp fresh or dried oregano

• 2 bay leaves

• 1 tbsp tomato ketchup

• 50g dark chocolate, grated

• 400g kidney beans

Method

1. Place a casserole dish over a medium heat. Pour in one tablespoon of vegetable oil, and stir in the minced beef, cook until browned. Then remove the browned minced beef to a plate.

2. Pour the other tablespoon of vegetable oil in the dish and stir in the onions, fresh ginger and garlic.

3. Allow to cook for two minutes, then stir in the ground cumin, cinnamon and chili flakes, and cook for another minute. Next stir in the pancetta and chorizo, and cook while stirring for three minutes.

4. Return the browned minced beef to the dish, and stir well. Pour in the tinned tomatoes, water, brown sugar, dried oregano and ketchup. Season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, stir well. Cover and allow to cook for 90 minutes on a low heat.

5. 4. Remove the lid and stir in the grated chocolate and kidney beans. Leave to simmer for another 20 minutes and then serve with basmati rice.

Aglio e Olio: Spagetti with garlic and chilli

Perhaps the ultimate store cupboard recipe, this is the perfect example of how great ingredients need little work to make them shine

Servings

4

Cooking Time

 15 mins

Total Time

 15 mins

Course

 Main

Ingredients

• 400g spaghetti

• 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil 

• 6 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

• ½ tsp dried chilli flakes

• Parmesan, to serve

Method

1. Cook the spaghetti two minutes less than the packet instructions say and drain, reserving one mug of pasta water. 

2. Five minutes before it is due to be cooked, put the olive oil and garlic in a cold pan, bring to a medium heat and cook until it is golden but not brown. 

3. Add the chill flakes and cook for another thirty seconds. 

4. Stir in the pasta and three tablespoons of cooking water, adding more if it appears too dry. 

5. Serve with plenty of Parmesan.