Recipes for a Bonfire Night Feast with The Simple Things

Chilli Con Carne with Chocolate

Serves 6

Ingredients

Step 1. Fry the onions and peppers in a little oil over a low to medium heat, until they turn translucent.

Step 2. Add the cumin, paprika and garlic, then turn up the heat, add the mince and cook until it is browned.

Step 3. Add the passata, water, kidney beans, dried marjoram, sugar and tomato purée and bring to the boil.

Step 4. Lower the heat and simmer, partially covered, for at least 40 mins, until the sauce is thick and rich.

Step 5. Add the chocolate and let it melt just before serving, then season.

Zingy Orange and Cinnamon Cakes

If you’ve got a fire going, bake these the fun way, wrapped in orange skin in the embers of the firepit. But they also work in the oven in cupcake cases.

Makes 4 orange cakes and 6 cupcakes

Ingredients

4 oranges

150g self-raising flour

150g butter, softened

1 tsp baking powder

3 eggs

8 cardamom pods

1⁄2 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp orange blossom water

Step 1. Zest one of the oranges, then slice them all in half and scoop out the insides.

Step 2. Bash the cardamom pods in a pestle and mortar to release the seeds, fish out the cases and then grind until fine.

Step 3. Put butter, flour, baking powder, eggs, cinnamon, orange zest, orange blossom water and the ground cardamom into a large bowl and whisk for about a minute (the butter must be properly soft before you start).

Step 4. Spoon into one of the orange halves, then place the empty orange half over the top and wrap in foil. Do this with the other oranges and place all four into the embers of the fire.

Step 5. Turn after about 10 mins; they should be ready after about 20 mins. Unwrap one and have a peek – just pop it back in if it looks underdone.

Step 6. To bake in the oven instead, spoon the mixture into cupcake cases and bake at 190C/Fan 170/375F for 30 mins.