Post in collaboration with Asda
Cheesy Garlic Bread and Chilli Con Carne combine to form a dish that just screams comfort food. Super easy to make and sure to be a hit with the whole family.
Is there anything better than a slice of fresh crusty bread spread with butter? Possibly not. Unless that bread is a Carrot and Pumpkin Boule, or a Sourdough Batard or a Jalapeno Cheese Bread. Following hot on the heels of the Great British Bake Off Bread week (did you see that snail?!) Asda have launched a new range of specialty artisan bread. These loaves are inspired by different breads from around the globe so you can now pick up a perfectly baked Pain Pavé or a squidgy Italian Ciabatta alongside your weekly supermarket shop and enjoy an authentic taste of the world from the comfort of your own home.
The new bread range was developed by Maddie Munden who is Asda's Master Baker. She had the enviable job of travelling all around Europe visiting local bakeries to get inspiration for her loaves. The thirteen products - a bakers dozen - include Carrot & Pumpkin Boule, Sourdough Baton, The Parisian, Sunflower Bloomer, Mediterranean Bread, and Jalapeno Cheese Bread. Each loaf is hand crafted using traditional artisan techniques and is baked in store daily for a fresh golden finish. No soggy bottoms here!
As delicious as these breads are spread with butter, made into a sandwich or toasted and slathered with jam or honey they also make fantastic recipe ingredients. Personally I like to enjoy au naturel on day one, toasted on day two and as in ingredient on day three. The perfect way to avoid any food waste. In the recipe I'm sharing below I've used Asda's Mediterranean Bread to make a Cheesy Garlic Bread Crust on a Minced Beef Chilli, but all bread can be utilised in a multitude of ways. Breadcrumbs are ideal for binding meatballs or burgers, coating fishcakes or schnitzel or as a topping on pasta bakes. They also freeze really well. But it doesn't stop there. Bread & Butter Pudding, French Toast, Summer Pudding, Croutons, Melba Toast, Panzanella, French Onion Soup - the list of dishes you can make with bread is endless so don't throw out a stale loaf.
To create my Minced Beef Chilli with a Cheesy Garlic Bread Crust I used half an Asda Speciality Artisan Bread thinly sliced. This gets toasted and spread with garlic butter before being layered on top of the chili. Finally it's sprinkled with cheese before the whole dish is placed under the grill. I make a fairly mild chili using a couple of cans of Asda Chilli Beans in Chilli Sauce (a store cupboard essential of mine!) but if you like things hot do feel free to add in some additional chili powder or paste. This is the family friendly version so won't blow your head off however if you also use the Asda Fiery Grated Cheese Blend watch out as it does have a bit of a kick to it.
Minced Beef Chilli with a Cheesy Garlic Bread Crust
Serves 4-6
Chilli
Splash Rapeseed Oil
2 Onions, finely chopped
2 cloves Garlic, crushed
1 stick Celery, finely chopped
1 Carrot, finely chopped
500g Lean Beef Mince
2 x 290g Tins Chilli Beans in Chili Sauce
1 x 400g Tin Chopped Tomatoes
200ml Beef Stock
Cheesy Garlic Bread Crust
1/2 a Loaf of your favourite Asda Speciality Artisan Bread (I used the Mediterranean Bread)
25g Butter, softened
Clove of Garlic, crushed
100g Grated Cheese (I used Asda Fiery Cheese Blend)
Heat the oil in a large pan or casserole dish and saute the onion for approximately 5 minutes or until softened.
Add the chopped celery, carrots and crushed garlic to the pan and cook for a further couple of minutes before adding the beef mince.
Stir it through gently until broken up and browned.
Tip in the contents from the cans of chilli beans and tinned tomatoes and finally the beef stock.
Bring to the boil before reducing the heat to a gentle simmer and cook for 30-45 minutes.
To make the cheesy garlic bread crust first preheat your grill. Then thinly slice your bread and lightly toast it on each side.
Mix together the crushed garlic and softened butter and spread some on top of each slice of toast.
Pour the cooked chili mixture into a lasagne dish and arrange the garlic buttered slices of toasted bread on top.
Sprinkle over the grated cheese and pop under the grill for a couple of minutes until the cheese is melted and bubbling.
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Disclosure: This is a commissioned post for Asda. As always, all views expressed are my own.
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