Beef and lentil CHILI

I don't know about you, but I love chili. And I'm also poor. So if I can sneak cheap, cheap red lentils into a recipe and they taste as good as if I leave them out, I'm happy to do this.

If you're rich or have access to half a cow and a mincer, please feel free to replace the lentils with MORE MEAT.

There's a vegetarian recipe that goes alongside this one, but I'll be making both of them on Thursday, so please feel free to wait to make the chili until I take mouth-watering photos of two giant pots of hot mess. Or, you know, you could imagine what the chili would look like served on a bed of rice, with a coriander garnish, a side salad and topped with a fried egg. Up to you.

Also, CHILI should always be written in capital letters. That's the way things are.

OK there are a million variations and maybe before you go to your local store, or supermarket, or food co-op you need to answer a few questions for me.
1) Do you like spicy foods? This will help you decide to buy green (less spicy) or red (more spicy) chillis, add more canned tomatoes, use half a can or full can of chipotle peppers, and use less or more chilli powder.
2) Do you like many varieties of beans? Four bean mix in a can may be a good option for you.v
3) Are carrots and zucchini your friends, or do you prefer a more Americano meatnricencheese kinda meal? Or even no rice, just a big ole bowl of chili?
4) Do you have access to decent chipotle? If you're cooking in Wellington, New World Schaffer's has heaps of Mexican accoutrements.

I'd highly recommend buying some corn masa and making your own tortillas. This is what I'll be doing. It's how my lovely Asher's birthday will be celebrated. Oh, way to ruin the surprise, Anna.

Ingredients:

400-500g ground premium beef/venison
1 cup red lentils
2 large onions, dicely finely
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 carrots, chopped
2 teaspoons-2 tablespoons chili powder (as desired)
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped (if you have one, otherwise, green or red chilli pepper)
2 cans chopped tomatoes
2-3 cups stock as needed (homemade chicken or beef bone broth is best) 
1/2-1 can chipotle peppers
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1 can black beans, small red beans, kidney beans, (drained and rinsed) or chilli beans or soak and cook your own beans (best)

Preparation:

Cook first 3 ingredients in a large saucepan until meat is browned, stirring until it crumbles; drain off excess fat. Add everything else. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer, stirring occasionally, for A REALLY LONG TIME. Slow cooker is your friend.

Garnish with coriander, serve a multitude of ways. Freeze excess for chili enjoyment while hungover. Oh, yeah.

Flickr/cjzurcher