Oink

I’m having some people around in the next couple of days and thought I’d make a chili con carne as its cheap and the bastards will just gobble it all up if I spend too much on stuff. The point is though, what do they like to eat with it? I’ve always had rice because chili con carne is Mexican and they like rice, but I can’t seem to remember if that’s the done thing here or not. Do they have potatoes with it or just have it in bowl and would they then expect me to make them a salad? I have looked on the internet but nothing seems conclusive.

Zoe Bell

Chilli from Timmie's comes with garlic bread as I recall

Almost Canadian

I have eaten it in a large cobs with a hole cut in the centre and the chili placed in there when I have been invited for food by locals, I have also eaten it with rice.

Sorry

Hawk13

+1 Garlic bread or serve with buns

HGerchikov

Just make sure there is enough beer and wine and they won't care

Hawk13

I think the point is to fill them up with chili and buns so they won't drink all your beer and wine

Oink

Garlic bread is a good idea. Should I still make a nice salad or would that be wasted on cradles?

Snap Shot

Offer rice, baked potatoes and buns. Some might be impressed that baked potatoes go with chilli con carne ! Basically people can help themselves according to what they like.

Maybe don't make the chilli to hot so they're not inclined to guzzle your beer ?

Oh and serve sour cream and salsa and chopped spring onions and tortilla chips with the chilli on the side. You could put the 'sides' individually in dishes for them to help themselves dependant on their preference. A few wedges of fresh lime might be a nice idea. Natural yoghurt can be substituted for sour cream, or offer both separately.

A few fresh chillies, whole, on a plate as a 'side' so the show offs can identify themselves. Maybe you already knew.

(Have bread and sugar on standby in case anyone thinks fresh chillies is an incitement to have a chilli eating contest).

Greenhill

How about some "biscuits" (those nasty plain scone things)?

Also, have lots of packets of salty crackers available. At least 5 per cradle.

Oink

Those are very good suggestions, it'll be the poshest chili dinner party ever. I don't mind them guzzling the beer as I have a couple of large cases of cheap Mexican beer I bought up over Christmas. I think the garlic bread is a good idea and baked potatoes but I'll ditch the rice though.

bats

I thought chilli con carne was a TexMex meal rather than authentic Mexican. This means you can add grated cheese and tacos or maybe make some nachos. Chilli and chips is grest so maybe make some oven baked wedges

Cradles love a salad. Separate plates for it and cover it in a vile ranch dressing.h

Oink

Not salad cream?

bats

Go for it.

Hawk13

I'd ditch the salad

Shard

Damn, I like chilli and beer! Wrong continent

Definitely agree on the sour cream or Greek yogurt side.

How much beef are you budgeting per person and what's your beef/ beans proportion? At home I tend to have 200g made chilli as a meal, but I would double that for party purposes. I used to use one can (400g) beans to 1kg beef but lately have been upping the bean content as it's healthier.