Minced Beef Burritos or Chilli Mince

This is one of my favourite quick meals, if we don't have tortillas I serve the mince over some rice instead and we have a side salad or steamed vegetables.  I sometimes cook the mince mixture the day before and then reheat when needed, making sure it's piping hot before serving.  The flavours seem to develop much more if we have it that following night. 

You can freeze the cooked mince mixture for up to a month, just take it out of the freezer the night before you need it and defrost it overnight and the next day in the fridge.  If you're making the mince ahead of time, don't add the fresh herbs until you are ready to reheat it and eat it.  You can add a dollop of sour cream to the burritos as well or spread some cream cheese over the tortilla before adding the mince and salad. 

1 Tblsp olive oil

2 onions, chopped

2 peppers, finely diced - any colour is fine

2 garlic cloves, crushed

500g beef mince

1/2 - 1 tsp chilli powder, depending on how hot you want it

2 tsp ground coriander

1 Tblsp plain flour

2 Tblsp tomato paste

250ml beef stock, using 1 stock cube

1 or 2 cans red kidney beans, drained and well rinsed - I've used 3 bean mix before too

1/4 cup chopped fresh coriander leaves or flatleaf parsley leaves

8 flour tortillas, warmed

Grated cheese, sour cream, shredded lettuce, grated carrot and chopped/sliced tomato to serve.

Heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the chopped onions, finely diced peppers and crushed garlic cloves. Cook the chopped onions, peppers and garlic, stirring it around for 3 minutes or until the onion and peppers have softened.  Add the mince and cook for 8 - 10 minutes breaking up the mince as it cooks.  Make sure the mince is well cooked through and there are no pink bits left.

Add the chilli powder and ground coriander to the mince mixture.  I normally only add 1/2 tsp of chilli powder as my girls don't like it too hot.  Cook the herbs for about a minute, stirring the mince mixture until the spices are fragrant.  Add the plain flour and tomato paste. Cook for 1 minute stirring it well.  Add the stocka and mix it through thoroughly.  Bring the mince to the boil.  Once it's boiling reduce the heat to medium-low. Simmer, stirring occasionally, for around 10 minutes or until sauce thickens.

Stir in the kidney beans. Cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until well heated through.  Just before serving, stir in the chopped coriander leaves or flatleaf parsley leaves.  Serve the chilli mince mixture with tortillas, grated cheese, shredded lettuce, grated carrot and sliced/chopped tomato.