Yes, I know this is a food blog, but I have to talk about the weather again. I have heard that people from MN like to discuss the weather a lot. Well, can you blame us? It effects our lives and what we eat! So here is another weather report: we are on the cusp of what the weather people are calling a Polar Vortex. Yes, it's what it sounds like --- cold! As I write this it's -9 and with the wind chill, and that's what really matters, it's - 21. The Governor of Minnesota canceled classes for all public schools in the state tomorrow due to the COLDER weather that's still coming in. Now, the reason I'm telling you all of this is because of what we made today.
What better thing to eat on a cold day like today? Chili! Like most of you, we have tried many, many chili recipes over the years. Honestly, I have liked a lot of them, but a couple have really stood out among the crowd. One was by Bobby Flay, a very good, but very time consuming recipe. As you may have gathered by now usually that doesn't bother us, but his was brutal. Another favorite is by Rick Bayless. We are a huge fan of his and his Mexican cooking. In fact when we were in Chicago his restaurant was one we went back to twice because we enjoyed it so much. So whenever we are in the mood for authentic Mexican cuisine we go to the Rick Bayless website for ideas. This recipe is his.
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon bacon drippings or oil
2 pounds pork and lamb, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 large white onion, chopped
2 to 3 cups beef broth
Salt
Sugar
1 to 2 cups canned tomatoes (optional) we used 1
Masa Harina (optional) we didn't use
About 2 cups of your favorite cooked beans, either homemade or canned - we used homemade pinto beans
What better thing to eat on a cold day like today? Chili! Like most of you, we have tried many, many chili recipes over the years. Honestly, I have liked a lot of them, but a couple have really stood out among the crowd. One was by Bobby Flay, a very good, but very time consuming recipe. As you may have gathered by now usually that doesn't bother us, but his was brutal. Another favorite is by Rick Bayless. We are a huge fan of his and his Mexican cooking. In fact when we were in Chicago his restaurant was one we went back to twice because we enjoyed it so much. So whenever we are in the mood for authentic Mexican cuisine we go to the Rick Bayless website for ideas. This recipe is his.
Ingredients:
Ancho Seasoning Base
8 large garlic cloves, unpeeled
8 medium (about 4 ounces total) dried ancho chiles
1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano, preferably Mexican
1/2 teaspoon black pepper, whole or freshly ground
1/8 teaspoon cumin seeds, whole or freshly ground
A scant 1/4 teaspoon cloves, whole or freshly ground
2/3 cup beef broth
Salt, about 1 teaspoon
Chili8 large garlic cloves, unpeeled
8 medium (about 4 ounces total) dried ancho chiles
1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano, preferably Mexican
1/2 teaspoon black pepper, whole or freshly ground
1/8 teaspoon cumin seeds, whole or freshly ground
A scant 1/4 teaspoon cloves, whole or freshly ground
2/3 cup beef broth
Salt, about 1 teaspoon
1 tablespoon bacon drippings or oil
2 pounds pork and lamb, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 large white onion, chopped
2 to 3 cups beef broth
Salt
Sugar
1 to 2 cups canned tomatoes (optional) we used 1
Masa Harina (optional) we didn't use
About 2 cups of your favorite cooked beans, either homemade or canned - we used homemade pinto beans
DIRECTIONS
1. The garlic and chiles. Set a heavy ungreased skillet or griddle over medium heat. Lay the unpeeled garlic on the hot surface and let it roast to a sweet mellowness, turning occasionally, until soft when pressed between your fingers (you’ll notice it has blackened in a few small spots), about 15 minutes. Cool, then slip off the papery skins and roughly chop.
While the garlic is roasting, break off the stems of the chiles, tear the chiles open and shake and/or pick out all the seeds. For the mildest sauce, be careful to remove all the stringy, light-colored veins. Next, toast the chiles (to give them a richer flavor) a few at a time on your medium-hot skillet or griddle: open them out flat, lay them on the hot surface skin-side up, press flat for a few seconds with a metal spatula (if the temperature is right you’ll hear a faint crackle), then flip them. (If you pressed them just long enough, they’ll have changed to a mottled tan underneath. If you see a slight wisp of smoke, it’s okay, but any more than that will mean burnt chiles and bitter taste.) Now press down again to toast the other side (you won’t notice as much change in color on the skin side). Transfer the toasted chiles to a bowl, cover with hot water and let rehydrate for 30 minutes, stirring regularly to insure even soaking. Pour off all the water and discard.
2. The seasoning. If using whole spices, pulverize the oregano, pepper, cumin and cloves in a spice grinder or mortar, then transfer the ground spices to a food processor or blender, along with the drained chiles and the garlic. Measure in the broth and process to a smooth puree, scraping and stirring every few seconds. (If you’re using a blender and the mixture just won’t move through the blades, add more broth, a little at a time, until everything is moving, but still as thick as possible. Not only is a watery marinade uninteresting, but the pureeing capabilities of the blender are much reduced when too much liquid is added.) With a rubber spatula, work the puree through a medium-mesh strainer into a bowl; discard the skins and seeds that remain behind in the strainer. Taste (it’ll have a rough, raw edge to it), then season with salt.
3. The chili. In a large, heavy skillet or Dutch oven filmed with oil or bacon drippings, fry the meat and onions over medium-high heat, until nicely browned; drain off most of the fat. Add a full recipe of the ancho seasoning, stir for several minutes to temper the raw flavor, then stir in enough water or beef broth so that everything’s floating freely. Partially cover and simmer gently for an hour, until it looks like chili; season with salt and a touch of sugar. If you like a less intense flavor, add 1 cup or so of blended canned tomato along with the broth or water. For a thicker chili, mix together a little masa harina and water, then, whisk it into the chili during the last few minutes of simmering. Just before serving, stirring in the cooked beans. Continue cooking until the beans are warmed through.
*We found this "batch" of chili to be a bit dry for our taste and we decided that it was because we used homemade beans instead of canned and added more than we should have (they just looked so darn good!) Next time: canned, or much less of the homemade. The flavors were still amazing!
While the garlic is roasting, break off the stems of the chiles, tear the chiles open and shake and/or pick out all the seeds. For the mildest sauce, be careful to remove all the stringy, light-colored veins. Next, toast the chiles (to give them a richer flavor) a few at a time on your medium-hot skillet or griddle: open them out flat, lay them on the hot surface skin-side up, press flat for a few seconds with a metal spatula (if the temperature is right you’ll hear a faint crackle), then flip them. (If you pressed them just long enough, they’ll have changed to a mottled tan underneath. If you see a slight wisp of smoke, it’s okay, but any more than that will mean burnt chiles and bitter taste.) Now press down again to toast the other side (you won’t notice as much change in color on the skin side). Transfer the toasted chiles to a bowl, cover with hot water and let rehydrate for 30 minutes, stirring regularly to insure even soaking. Pour off all the water and discard.
2. The seasoning. If using whole spices, pulverize the oregano, pepper, cumin and cloves in a spice grinder or mortar, then transfer the ground spices to a food processor or blender, along with the drained chiles and the garlic. Measure in the broth and process to a smooth puree, scraping and stirring every few seconds. (If you’re using a blender and the mixture just won’t move through the blades, add more broth, a little at a time, until everything is moving, but still as thick as possible. Not only is a watery marinade uninteresting, but the pureeing capabilities of the blender are much reduced when too much liquid is added.) With a rubber spatula, work the puree through a medium-mesh strainer into a bowl; discard the skins and seeds that remain behind in the strainer. Taste (it’ll have a rough, raw edge to it), then season with salt.
3. The chili. In a large, heavy skillet or Dutch oven filmed with oil or bacon drippings, fry the meat and onions over medium-high heat, until nicely browned; drain off most of the fat. Add a full recipe of the ancho seasoning, stir for several minutes to temper the raw flavor, then stir in enough water or beef broth so that everything’s floating freely. Partially cover and simmer gently for an hour, until it looks like chili; season with salt and a touch of sugar. If you like a less intense flavor, add 1 cup or so of blended canned tomato along with the broth or water. For a thicker chili, mix together a little masa harina and water, then, whisk it into the chili during the last few minutes of simmering. Just before serving, stirring in the cooked beans. Continue cooking until the beans are warmed through.
*We found this "batch" of chili to be a bit dry for our taste and we decided that it was because we used homemade beans instead of canned and added more than we should have (they just looked so darn good!) Next time: canned, or much less of the homemade. The flavors were still amazing!
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