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Thursday, March 1, 2012

A chili (but not chilly) day

My attention wa focused on chili today--writing about it, keying in recipes, and cooking a pot. I'm having fun finding odd and different chili recipes. Tonight I made one that could be vegetarian if you used a ground meat substitute. I used lean ground beef. Of course I fiddled with the recipe. Originally tried it because I wanted to try the chocolate/cinnamon additions, but the recipe called for orange juice, and I thought that would be too fruity. I almost always make chili with beer, and I substituted that for the juice. I also added half a large onion. It was really good chli but we couldn't taste the chocolate and cinnamon, no doubt because of my fiddling with the recipe. I made it a bit too tame--would use more ancho chile powder next time. Another change I made was to saute the chili spices with the garlic, before adding the tomatoes. I think that gives the flavor a richness.
Next batch of chili I make will be white with chicken or turkey and white beans. I have several recipes. Not sure which one to try. Got to work my way through a lot of chili for this book.

Chili con Carne (ish) (this is the original version, for those who want to try it)

1-1/2 lbs. ground beef, browned and drained, or equivalent vegetarian substitute, such as Morningstar Farm Grillers Crumbles.
1 Tbsp. canola oil
1 heaping Tbsp. garlic
1 28 oz. can tomato puree
1 28 oz. can diced tomatoes
3 15 oz. cans beans--pinto, black, kidney or a mix
1/4 c. fresh orange juice
1 Tbsp. ground cumin
3 Tbsp. chili powder
2 tsp. ground coriander
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. cocoa powder
1/4 tsp. ancho chile powder
Garnish: shredded  cheddar, sour cream, diced onons, whatever you want

Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. add garlic and saute one minute, until fragrant but not browned. Add tomatoes, puree, beans, juisce, spices and seasonings and browned meat or meat substitute. Simmer uncovered 15 minutes, then cover, reduce heat to low and simmer one hour. Be sure to stir frequently so that it doesn't stick.
Original recipe by Wendy Lyn Watson, Mystery Lovers Kitchen, January 12, 2012.
http://www.mysteryloverskitchen.com/search/label/Chili

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