This is a real favourite at Cáis when the days are getting colder and the conversation in the yard turns towards school uniforms and books. This three-dimensional toastie is a bestseller: the fat from the beef brings flavour, the jalapeños add heat (‘ar tine’ means ‘on fire’) and the Cheddar brings sharpness. Bookers Vintage is a mature Cheddar we use again and again at Cáis and is a great addition to your cheese board. Another great Irish cheese to try with this toastie is Hegarty’s Cheddar, a traditionally made cloth-bound Cheddar from Cork.
CHILLI BEEF MAKES 1KG (5 CUPS) – YOU NEED 100G (½ CUP) PER TOASTIE
FOR THE CHILLI BEEF:
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
500g (1lb 2oz) beef mince
1 medium onion, finely diced
1 large red pepper, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
½ tsp chilli flakes
1 x 400g (14oz) tin of kidney beans, drained and rinsed
250ml (1 cup) water
1 beef stock pot
1½ tbsp tomato purée
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 small bunch of fresh coriander, chopped
1 small fresh red chilli, thinly sliced (optional)
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
FOR THE TOASTIE:
15g (1 tbsp) softened salted butter
2 slices of sourdough bread
100g (½ cup) chilli beef, drained
8 slices of pickled jalapeños
75g (¾ cup) grate Bookers Vintage Cheddar (or any good, mature Cheddar)
TO SERVE:
sweet chilli mayo
TOP TIP: Make the chilli beef the day before you want to make your toastie, as the filling needs to be cold. Cold filling = crispy toastie.
To make the chilli beef, heat the oil in a large saucepan on a medium heat. Add the ground cumin and coriander and cook for 30 seconds, just until fragrant – you don’t want to burn the spices.
Add the mince, breaking it up with the back of a wooden spoon, and cook for 5 minutes, until browned. Add the onion, red pepper, garlic and chilli flakes and cook for 10 minutes, until softened. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Add the beans, water, stock pot, tomato purée and Worcestershire sauce and stir to combine. Cover with a lid and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in the fresh coriander and chilli (if using) and cook for a further 10 minutes.
If you’re making this ahead for a toastie, the chilli beef will keep in the fridge for up to four days.
To build your toastie, butter both slices of bread, then flip the bread over (the butter goes on the outside).
Spoon the drained chilli beef on one slice of bread, going right out to the edges to cover the entire slice. Arrange the pickled jalapeños evenly on top so you get some with each bite, then scatter over the grated cheese. Put the other slice of bread on top, buttered side facing out, to sandwich everything together.
Put a non-stick frying pan on a medium-low heat. Add the sandwich and put a weight on top of it, then cook for 7–8 minutes, until the bread is golden brown and the cheese has started to melt. Using a spatula, flip the toastie over and cook the other side for 7–8 minutes more, until that side is golden brown too and the filling is piping hot.
Cut the toastie in half on a diagonal and serve with sweet chilli mayo on the side for dipping.
From Blasta Books #19: TOASTIES by Sinéad Sheehy and Ann Ní Chíobháin
