Jamie Oliver’s 'midweek winner' meal has 3 of your 5 a day and cooks in the microwave
Cooking dinner can feel like a chore for many people but it doesn't have to be with this healthy microwave chilli by Jamie Oliver.
One-pot meals are perfect for a quick dinner and this vegetable chilli is exactly that.
As well as being full of healthy vegetables and flavour, the dish also boasts a low price of just £1 per portion, according to chef Jamie Oliver.
Sharing the recipe on his website, Jamie claimed: “Made entirely in the microwave, this flavour-packed chilli couldn’t be easier to rustle up.
“With soft butternut squash, creamy beans and a delicious quick salsa for a zing of freshness, it’s a thing of joy!
“What’s more, each portion contains three of your five-a-day - a midweek winner.”
Ingredients
- 250g minced beef
- One teaspoon ground cumin
- Olive oil
- One beef stock cube
- One onion
- Two garlic cloves
- Two celery sticks
- Two small fresh chillies
- 400g butternut squash
- Red wine vinegar
- Two tablespoons tomato purée
- 400g tin of chopped tomatoes
- 400g tin of kidney beans
- 300g long grain rice
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Jamie Oliver’s microwave chilli con carne recipe
Cooking in a microwave is one of the most energy-efficient methods out there, yet many people avoid making meals from scratch.
But with this recipe, Jamie claimed that it’s easy to make an “utterly delicious” dinner that’s both “comforting and full of flavour”.
Start by putting the raw beef mince, cumin, two tablespoons of olive oil, a pinch of sea salt and a big pinch of black pepper into a microwave-proof dish. Next, crumble in the stock cube and scrunch the ingredients together with clean hands.
Microwave on high (800W) for 10 minutes or until the meat is browned, and be sure to break it up with a spoon halfway through.
Meanwhile, peel the onion and garlic, then very finely chop them up along with the celery. Deseed and finely chop the chillies, then put a handful of the chopped vegetables into a small bowl for the salsa. Slice off a thin piece of squash, finely chop and add to the bowl along with one teaspoon of red wine vinegar and a pinch of salt.
Leave this to pickle while turning your attention back to the beef. When the microwave dings, stir in the remaining chopped veg.
Slice the reserved squash into four large pieces with the skin on, and lightly score it. Place the squash on top, then return to the microwave and cook for another 15 minutes at full power.
Add the tomato purée and tomatoes to the dish, drain and tip in most of the beans (leave a handful for later). Gently mash until some of the beans are squashed into the sauce then return to the microwave and cook for a final 20 minutes on medium-high (600-700W), or until the squash is soft.
When cooked, transfer the dish from the microwave to a heatproof surface. Use your potato masher to mash the squash, if you like, then carefully taste the chilli and season to perfection.
Keep warm while cooking the rice by putting it in a two-litre microwave-proof dish or bowl with 600ml water, and a pinch of sea salt.
Cover the bowl with a lid or a side plate, sprinkle the reserved beans on top, then cook in the microwave on high heat for 10 to 14 minutes, carefully removing the beans halfway.
Fluff up the rice and divide between plates, spoon over the chilli, then sprinkle with the popped beans and salsa.
