What to serve with chilli ........

[Ann]

Hi all - I am holding a small supper for 4 friends, and to save a lot of prep time have decided to serve chilli con carne and rice. My question is what accompaniment can I put with it to make it a bit more special? I thought of a green salad, garlic mushrooms or onion rings - anything else please? All suggestions gratefully received! Thanks!

[sherrardk]

Bit of salad and some French bread? Tortia (sp) crips?

[boxtops]

Green salad should be enough, the mushrooms or onion rings would detract from the chilli. You could get some nacho crisps or similar which you could dip in the chills, to serve on the plate.

[237SJ]

Little Greek salads on the side? Diced feta, cucumber, purple onion, diced tomato and oregano. The feta goes nicely with chilli.

[Borrheid]

How about some ciabatta like bread and maybe a yogurt based dip? I find chilli too hot sometImes so something cooling is good.

[tinkerbell23]

Defos tortilla chips....i LOVE that..mmmm x

[granny grump]

Nachos & guacomole

[welshlibranr]

I always stack the chili with tortilla chips, and serve rice on the side!.....always goes down well!..

[venator]

Loads of booze - what more do you need?

[Zacs-Master]

Tortilla chips with melted cheese on them.

[fliptheswitch]

Sloppy Jose Nachos:

Get a bag of tortilla chips, lay some out on an ovenproof plate. Layer with grated cheese (check which kind you're supposed to use, as I can't remember), salsa and green jalapenos. Keep repeating the layers, until you get to the top of the dish, then whack it in the oven.
Once it's finished, after ten mins or so, pile a load of soured cream and guacamole on top. Lushness! :-)

[Eve]

Sour cream and some melted cheese sauce and nachos.

[Prudie]

And mango chutney, I can't eat chilli without it.

[tinkerbell23]

I want some right now.....

[firewatch]

some sliced avacado arranged on a plate with a pot of yoghurt in the middle, defo tortillas (im eating some now nom) also i loveeeee chedder on my chilli lol

[pastafreak]

Lots of grated cheese on top-sour cream on the side.

[Ann]

Gosh thanks all for your suggestions, I'm not very adventurous with food, OH and me only really liking plain English food. But I like all your ideas, especially the Greek salad with Feta cheese served as a side salad and nice crusty French bread ........ Thanks all, wish me luck! Hmmm - now to think of any easy sweet!

[DTCwordfan]

chocolate fondants as a desert - with chilli - and it works.

serve with a vanilla or coconut ice cream,smidge of runny cream

For the fondant
125 g dark chocolate, (>70% cocoa solids)
125 g unsaltedbutter
4 eggs
75 g sugar
50 g self-raising flour

For the chilli syrup
50 g sugar
50 ml water
1 large redchilli, deseeded and chopped

1. Melt the chocolate and butter together in a bowl over a saucepan of gently simmering water.

2. Whisk the eggs and sugar together until thick and glossy. A ribbon trail should form when the whisk is drawn across the mixture.

3. Place the sugar and water into a saucepan with the chopped chilli and simmer until reduced by about half.

4. Drain off half the chopped chilli onto kitchen paper, leave the rest of the syrup to cool.

5. Add the melted chocolate and butter to the egg mixture.

6. Set the oven to 180C. Gently fold in the flour, and then the drained chilli.

7. Butter and flour four dariole moulds and spoon in chocolate mixture to three quarters full. Bake for about 10 minutes, until cooked on the outside and slightly runny in the centre.

8. Turn out the fondants and dust the tops with cocoa powder.

[boxtops]

Nooooo, not chips AND rice!

[fliptheswitch]

Lol @ chips! Classy!

Ann, as for dessert...

Thin tortilla wraps. Stick a banana on the edge, smother with syrup and cinnamon and roll. Stick it in the oven for 15-20 mins, until it's baked and the top is golden brown. Serve with vanilla ice cream.

It's a Mexican dessert, so will go well with your Chilli! :-)