From
vegetarian to double beef, one simple method produces countless chilis
Amanda Gold, Chronicle Staff Writer, Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Years ago, my friend Karin invited a small group of women over for a dinner
party. She's one of those untrained cooks who churn out fabulously elaborate
meals with little effort, so I eagerly anticipated a gourmet feast. As
the evening approached, thoughts turned to rich coq au vin, osso buco,
rack of lamb - restaurant-quality dishes she's made her signature.
As we pushed through the front door, we were hit by the aroma of cumin
hanging languidly in the air. The table was already set with small bowls
overflowing with garnishes surrounded a big, steaming pot of ... chili?
I was stunned - aside from being decidedly un-Karin, chili had always
felt like "man food" to me, something quick and easy that could
feed a pack of hungry athletes. But as I tucked into her white chicken
chili, it was impossible to contain my delight - each bite produced new
levels of flavor, from smoky chile peppers and creamy beans to earthy
oregano.
Years later, this chili and others like it have become staples in my repertoire,
especially when I'm having company. Done right, chili can be a nuanced
dish that will both feed and impress a crowd. And by following one basic
method, chili can be a cook's blank canvas, resulting in dozens of variations.
It's strange to think of chili as seasonal because it contains only traces
of fresh produce, most of which is available year-round. But as the weather
turns from late summer to the colder winter months, chili is one of the
first dishes that come to mind.
Spash of this, dash of that
Next to soup, it's one of the most comforting and forgiving foods. You
can always adjust the seasoning, add an ingredient or two, or throw on
a few good garnishes to save an imperfect batch.
Karin's chicken chili was nearly flawless the night she made it for us,
but when I attempted it at home, it was missing something. I poked through
the pantry searching for inspiration, and finally decided to add a splash
of cider vinegar. It may not have been traditional, but the acidic edge
rounded out the dish.
Fresh orange juice does the same thing in the accompanying recipe for
double beef chili, perking up the combination of ground beef and diced
sirloin. It's little more than a basic beef chili, but using dried beans
instead of canned adds depth to the dish.
It wasn't until I had cooked my way through several varieties of chili
that I recognized the simplicity of the method - one that begins with
aromatics like onions and garlic, moves on to peppers, and ends with meat
or vegetables and beans. The only big variables are the seasonings - usually
some combination of cumin, oregano, chili powder and paprika or cayenne
pepper - and specific main ingredients, but those can result in entirely
different dishes.
Take the wild boar version (see recipe), for example. By following the
same method for the double beef chili, but using ground wild boar and
diced shoulder meat instead of sirloin, and substituting tomatillos for
the tomatoes, the dish is reinvented.
Seasonal autumn and winter vegetables can enhance a vegetarian chili beyond
the traditional three-bean and tomato varieties, too. Use mushrooms, sweet
potatoes and black beans scented with cinnamon, for example, to create
a vegetarian harvest main course.
Remember the cornbread
Served with salad and a wedge of cornbread, it's a complete meal, and
only gets better as it sits. (Try the recipe for a savory cornbread with
cheddar and scallions, or check out today's Taster's Choice on Page F2
for suggestions for packaged mixes.)
Both the vegetarian and the meat varieties freeze exceptionally well,
so it pays to make a little extra and have a few good meals on hand for
later.
My friends and family consider me a well-trained chef, and often request
my cooking. These days, I find no shame in preparing a big pot of chili.
Like Karin, I know a good thing when I've got it. A good batch of chili
is a crowd favorite that can impress even the most jaded palates, and
makes bracing for the cold, rainy months just a little more bearable.
Double
Beef Chili
Serves 6-8
Adjust the heat on this basic beef chili by adding more jalapenos or cayenne.
I used Rancho Gordo black beans, which are wonderfully creamy and delicious.
If you want to use canned beans instead, that's fine, and it will cut
down significantly on the cooking time. Use about three 14.5-ounce cans,
saving one can's worth of the bean liquid, and draining and rinsing the
other two. When you add the beans and bean liquid, also add about 2 cups
of chicken broth.
• The beans
• 1/2 pound dried black beans, rinsed and soaked 4-6 hours or overnight
• 3 cloves garlic, smashed
• 2 bay leaves
• The chili
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 large red peppers, roasted, peeled and seeded, and cut into
medium dice
• 2 jalapeno peppers, minced
• 1/2 pound ground beef
• 3/4 pound top sirloin, cut into 1/2-inch dice
• -- Kosher salt
• -- Freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 28-ounce can whole tomatoes, chopped, with half of the can's
liquid
• 1/2 fresh orange, juiced
• -- Cooked black beans (from above)
• 1 14.5-ounce can kidney beans
• -- Chopped red onions, for garnish
• -- Sour cream, for garnish
• -- Shredded cheddar cheese, for garnish
For the beans: Pour the
beans plus their soaking liquid into a stockpot, and add additional water
to cover by 1-2 inches. Add the smashed garlic and bay leaves, and bring
to a boil. Lower heat and simmer for about 1 hour, until the beans have
softened but aren't fully cooked through (they'll continue to cook in
the chili).
For the chile: Heat the
oil in a large Dutch oven or stockpot over medium heat. Add onions and
garlic and saute for about 5 minutes, until onions have softened slightly.
Add red and jalapeno peppers, and continue to cook for another 3-5 minutes.
Transfer mixture to a bowl and set aside.
Season meat with salt and pepper to taste. In the pot, add the ground
beef and top sirloin and saute until browned on all sides, breaking up
ground beef as you go, about 4 minutes.
Add onion and pepper mixture back into the pot and stir to combine. Add
the 3/4 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper and the cayenne pepper through
the cinnamon, and stir until the spices are evenly distributed.
Pour in the tomatoes and juice, fresh orange juice and cooked black beans
plus 3 cups of bean cooking liquid (add chicken broth or water if you
don't have enough). Stir well, and simmer over medium-low heat for about
1 1/2-2 hours, until meat is tender, liquid has thickened, and beans are
fully cooked through. If you are using canned black beans, cooking time
will be less. Add kidney beans, with the bean liquid, in the last 30 minutes
of cooking. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Serve with chopped red onions, sour cream and shredded cheese.
Per serving: 327 calories, 26 g protein, 34 g carbohydrate, 10 g fat (3
g saturated), 47 mg cholesterol, 501 mg sodium, 12 g fiber.
Sweet
Potato, Mushroom & Black Bean Chili
Serves 8
I used Rancho Gordo black beans for the recipe, which really enhance the
chili. If you want to use canned beans instead, however, that's fine,
and it will cut down significantly on the cooking time. Use about three
14.5-ounce cans, saving one can's worth of the bean liquid, and draining
and rinsing the other two. When you add the beans and bean liquid, also
add about 2 cups of vegetable broth.
• The beans
• 1/2 pound dried black beans, rinsed and soaked 4-6 hours or overnight
• 3 cloves garlic, smashed
• 2 bay leaves
• The chili
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 jalapeno peppers, minced
• 2 red bell peppers, cut into medium dice
• 1 pound mixed chopped mushrooms (oyster, crimini, portobello)
• 1 tablespoon ancho chile powder
• 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt + more to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper + more to taste
• 1 28-ounce can whole tomatoes, chopped, with half of the can's
liquid
• 1 pound sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 3/4-inch dice
• -- Cooked black beans (from above)
• 1 14.5-ounce can pinto beans
• -- Chopped green onions, for garnish
• -- Chopped red onions, for garnish
• -- Sour cream, for garnish
• -- Shredded cheddar cheese, for garnish
For the beans: Pour the
beans plus their soaking liquid into a stockpot, and add additional water
to cover by 1-2 inches. Add the smashed garlic and bay leaves, and bring
to a boil. Lower heat and simmer for about 1 hour, until the beans have
softened but aren't fully cooked through (they'll continue to cook in
the chili). Remove the garlic and bay leaves and discard.
For the chili: Heat the
oil in a large Dutch oven or stockpot over medium heat. Add onions and
garlic and saute for about 5 minutes, until onions have softened slightly.
Add jalapeno and red peppers, and continue to cook for another 3-5 minutes.
Add mushrooms, and saute until mushrooms have softened and released some
of their juices, another 5 minutes.
Add the chili powder through the black pepper, and stir until the seasonings
are incorporated into the mixture. Add the tomatoes and liquid, sweet
potatoes and cooked black beans plus 3 cups of bean cooking liquid (add
vegetable broth or water if you don't have enough). Stir well to combine
and simmer over medium-low heat for about 1-1 1/2 hours, until sweet potatoes
have softened but still retain their shape, liquid has thickened, and
beans are fully cooked through. If you are using canned black beans, cooking
time will be a bit shorter.
Add pinto beans plus their cooking liquid in the last 30 minutes of cooking.
Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Serve with chopped red and green onions, sour cream, and shredded cheese,
for garnish.
Per serving: 262 calories, 14 g protein, 43 g carbohydrate, 5 g fat (1
g saturated), 0 cholesterol, 537 mg sodium, 13 g fiber.
Chicken
& Poblano Pepper Chili
Serves 4-6
I got the inspiration for this recipe from my friend, Karin Appelbaum,
who first found it several years ago in Bon Appetit. She changed it to
incorporate pureed beans for added thickness and less cream, and uses
fresh chiles. I've made a few more changes. Here is the result, but the
beauty of chili is that you, too, can adapt it to suit your tastes.
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt + more to taste
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper + more to taste
• 1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon aniseed
• 1/2 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
• 1/2 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 3/4-inch
chunks
• 1/2 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 3/4-inch
chunks
• 3 14.5-ounce cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed, 1 cup
set aside
• 1 1/2 cups chicken broth
• 3/4 pound poblano chiles (about 3 large), roasted, peeled and
seeded, and cut into medium dice
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• -- Chopped green onions for garnish
• -- Chopped cilantro for garnish (optional)
• -- Grated cheddar cheese, for garnish
• -- Sour cream, for garnish
Instructions: Heat oil in a large Dutch oven or stockpot over medium heat.
Add onion, garlic, and all of the spices. Saute until onion has softened
and spices are incorporated, about 5 minutes. Remove onion mixture to
a bowl and set aside.
Season chicken with salt and pepper and add to the empty pot. Saute until
mostly cooked through and white on all sides, about 5-7 minutes. Add the
onion mixture back in and stir to combine.
In a blender, puree the 1 cup of beans that you have set aside with 1/2
cup of the chicken broth. Add the remaining broth, pureed beans, whole
beans, chiles and cream to the pot. Cook for about 20 minutes, until chicken
is tender. Season to taste.
Serve with chopped green onions, cilantro (if using), cheese and sour
cream to pass at the table.
Per serving: 378 calories, 27 g protein, 39 g carbohydrate, 12 g fat (4
g saturated), 67 mg cholesterol, 699 mg sodium, 10 g fiber.
Amanda Gold is a Chronicle staff writer. E-mail her at agold@sfchronicle.com.
http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/10/15/FDR713DNGM.DTL
This article appeared on page F - 1 of the San Francisco Chronicle
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