Black Bean Chilli with Professor of Artificial Intelligence at Oxford University Michael Wooldridge 24th June 5pm

In this episode of 5 O’Clock Apron Podcast, Claire drives to Oxford to cook with the Professor of Computer Science and Head of the Department of Computer Science at the University of Oxford, Michael Wooldridge. Michael’s field of work has been in Artificial Intelligence (AI) since 1989, a landscape which has seen wide-reaching change. Michael’s Wikipedia page, and in particular, the awards and honours section is extensive and hugely impressive. He has written over 350 scientific papers and contributed to many academic books, and his most charming, for the layperson, is the bite-sized Ladybird Expert Book on Artificial Intelligence first published by Penguin Random House in 2018.

As with every episode, Claire knocks on the front door of Michael’s house having never met or indeed cooked in Michael’s kitchen before. Michael is a bean enthusiast, and to keep within a sensible timeframe, but still wanting to cook with dried beans from scratch, has a huge pot of just-cooked black turtle beans ready and waiting on the hob. Together Michael and Claire cook Michael’s favourite weeknight black bean chilli, a dish he regularly cooks at home for his wife and two grown up children, the question posed throughout the recording by Michael is, “How hot should we go?” More chilli is generally the answer, with some additional extra spicy seasoning that Michael is a fan of. 

With the black beans bubbling, Claire quizzes Michael on the future of big tech, on whether robots cleaning our houses and loading our dishwashers will happen any time soon, will AI help with the future of food and farming and food insecurity, what is easier to program: driverless cars or grandmaster chess players? With the potential of AI a near constant topic in the news these days, it is with trepidation Claire considers the future of the workforce as we know it, only to be told by Michael “not to worry, the robots aren’t coming to get us, just yet!”

Cooking with Michael Wooldridge in this episode of 5 O’Clock Apron Podcast is a lesson in reassurance. With anxiety levels in society seen to be generally on the up, and for some, at a tipping point, cooking something delicious for dinner, whatever your line of work, is an opportunity for some much-needed calm and - most important of all - something tasty to eat on the table come dinnertime.   

Michael’s Black Bean Chilli Recipe 

Serves 4

Ingredients;

400g dried turtle beans (you can pre-soak the beans in cold water for an hour or two, or overnight, but Michael thinks this is unnecessary, and his beans were, once cooked, delicious)

1 400g tin of chopped tomatoes 

1 whole red chilli

1 large red onion, peeled and finely diced 

150g diced chorizo

2 tbsp of olive oil

2 - 3 cloves garlic, peeled and finely chopped 

1 tbsp smoked paprika 

2 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp dried oregano, or more to taste 

Dried chilli flakes, to taste 

Jerk seasoning, Michael used Dunns River Jerk Seasoning, to taste 

The juice of 1 lime

Small bunch of coriander, stalks finely chopped, leaves roughly chopped 

Method;

1. Put the beans in a large saucepan and cover with plenty of water, bring to the boil, skim off any frothy residue, reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for around 1 – 1 ½ hours. Keep an eye on the water levels, top up with more water, if necessary, the beans should be fully submerged, at all times.

2. Add the tin of the tomatoes and the whole chilli and continue cooking until the beans are fully cooked through and the sauce is thickened and creamy, not too soupy, just right. Put to one side.

3. In a frying pan, add the olive oil and the onions and fry over a moderate heat for around 5 minutes to soften, add the diced chorizo and the garlic and fry for a further 3 - 4 minutes, until the fat from the chorizo begins to exude in the pan. 

4. Add the ground spices and the oregano and cook for 1 minute more. 

5. When the beans are a good consistency in the pan, thick and creamy, add salt to taste and the chorizo, spices and onion mix in the pan. Add the finely chopped coriander stalks and stir to combine and keep warm.

6. Check the seasoning on the beans, adding salt and more chilli, to taste, if necessary, then add the lime juice and the chopped coriander leaves to serve.