Chili Day Revisited
Yeah, I know everyone's been wanting an updated version. I've learned scant few things about cooking in the last two years, but apparently I have some natural talent for chili.
This here's called Adam's Healing Chili. Not to be confused with Chili of Life, which is almost impossible to make and might just kill you if you eat it casually.
Cooking oil (olive preferably)
1 lb. ground beef
1 medium green bell pepper, chopped
3-4 stalks celery, chopped
3-5 medium shallots, diced
4-6 medium cloves garlic, minced
8 oz. minced carrots
1 1/2 cup frozen corn
2 12 oz. cans kidney beans (rinsed and drained)
2 12 oz. cans diced tomatoes
1 8 oz. can tomato paste
1/3 Tbsp. salt
1 Tbsp. black pepper
Spices:
cayenne pepper powder
ground cinnamon
allspice
majoram
ground ginger
ground cumin
ground white pepper
In a large oiled skillet, brown beef over medium heat. Drain and pour into your big ol' non-stick cook pot of goodness. Add more oil to skillet if necessary. Combine celery and bell pepper and cover skillet. Steam until tender, turning to prevent burning. Add cooked celery and bell pepper to pot, then cook the shallots and garlic until shallots are translucent and the garlic is tender. Combine shallots, garlic, and all other ingredients into pot, adding extra salt and pepper to taste (I like extra pepper). Bring to a slow boil. Reduce heat and cover, simmering for (at least) 30 minutes to blend flavors, stirring occasionally (or often, if your pot isn't non-stick) to prevent burning.
I won't reveal the amounts of each spice I used. For one thing, though the texture of the chili is now near perfect, I haven't gotten the spice mixture quite right yet. This time I think I used too much of some of them. I also forgot about the fennel, which is supposed to help settle the stomach. Regardless, I don't recommend eating this chili by itself.
My favorite way to serve this chili is in a bowl with nacho cheese Doritos and a generous dollop of sour cream smack dab in the middle, with cheddar cheese melted on top. Serve with your favorite bread (Italian, French, Portuguese roll) or in a sourdough boule for best results. The sour cream, cheese, and bread help absorb, neutralize and disperse the acid, which can be very useful as well as extra tasty.
I often eat the leftover chili on toasted bread or a bulkie roll with swiss. Microwave until the chili is warm and the cheese melts, and you've got what I call a chili joe. This chili is not only thick, but chunky as well, so don't worry as much about making a mess as much as you would with a traditional Sloppy Joe.
Essentially, this is a beef chili with a tomato base. I use shallots instead of onions nowadays, when I can find them. Those and the garlic are there for flavor, and the carrots add some optional sweetness. The rest of the vegetables are there for texture as well as flavor, and cayenne pepper represents most of the heat. This isn't just comfort food. The pepper helps relieve congestion and sore throat as well.
This here's called Adam's Healing Chili. Not to be confused with Chili of Life, which is almost impossible to make and might just kill you if you eat it casually.
Cooking oil (olive preferably)
1 lb. ground beef
1 medium green bell pepper, chopped
3-4 stalks celery, chopped
3-5 medium shallots, diced
4-6 medium cloves garlic, minced
8 oz. minced carrots
1 1/2 cup frozen corn
2 12 oz. cans kidney beans (rinsed and drained)
2 12 oz. cans diced tomatoes
1 8 oz. can tomato paste
1/3 Tbsp. salt
1 Tbsp. black pepper
Spices:
cayenne pepper powder
ground cinnamon
allspice
majoram
ground ginger
ground cumin
ground white pepper
In a large oiled skillet, brown beef over medium heat. Drain and pour into your big ol' non-stick cook pot of goodness. Add more oil to skillet if necessary. Combine celery and bell pepper and cover skillet. Steam until tender, turning to prevent burning. Add cooked celery and bell pepper to pot, then cook the shallots and garlic until shallots are translucent and the garlic is tender. Combine shallots, garlic, and all other ingredients into pot, adding extra salt and pepper to taste (I like extra pepper). Bring to a slow boil. Reduce heat and cover, simmering for (at least) 30 minutes to blend flavors, stirring occasionally (or often, if your pot isn't non-stick) to prevent burning.
I won't reveal the amounts of each spice I used. For one thing, though the texture of the chili is now near perfect, I haven't gotten the spice mixture quite right yet. This time I think I used too much of some of them. I also forgot about the fennel, which is supposed to help settle the stomach. Regardless, I don't recommend eating this chili by itself.
My favorite way to serve this chili is in a bowl with nacho cheese Doritos and a generous dollop of sour cream smack dab in the middle, with cheddar cheese melted on top. Serve with your favorite bread (Italian, French, Portuguese roll) or in a sourdough boule for best results. The sour cream, cheese, and bread help absorb, neutralize and disperse the acid, which can be very useful as well as extra tasty.
I often eat the leftover chili on toasted bread or a bulkie roll with swiss. Microwave until the chili is warm and the cheese melts, and you've got what I call a chili joe. This chili is not only thick, but chunky as well, so don't worry as much about making a mess as much as you would with a traditional Sloppy Joe.
Essentially, this is a beef chili with a tomato base. I use shallots instead of onions nowadays, when I can find them. Those and the garlic are there for flavor, and the carrots add some optional sweetness. The rest of the vegetables are there for texture as well as flavor, and cayenne pepper represents most of the heat. This isn't just comfort food. The pepper helps relieve congestion and sore throat as well.