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by Deborah Dove
My husband and I have been part of a dinner group for over seven years. Every other month, six couples meet for dinner with the hosting couple providing the main dish, menu assignments and recipes, and each of the other couples bringing their assigned appetizer, side dish or dessert. In addition to a much-needed night out sans kids and a chance to catch up on each other’s lives, the group provides a great opportunity to try new recipes and add a few new dishes to each family’s repertoire.
Surprisingly, we have had very little, if any, duplication of recipes and themes. Over the years we have enjoyed appetizers and dominoes, a Mexican fiesta, Asian cuisine, Italian food, barbecue and countless variations of standard American fare such as pinwheel steaks, shrimp corn chowder and roasted chicken. Some of my favorite “go to” recipes, such as zucchini soup, Chicken Alouette, and green beans with pecans have come from our dinner group menus.
Just when I thought we had surely exhausted all of the unique dinner possibilities, our friends Jeff and Becky Stamey, the other Allen couple in our dinner group, hosted a chili cook-off and after one bite (of each chili, of course) I knew that I would have to share some of those fantastic chili recipes with our readers. After all, there is probably no better time to make a pot of hot, steaming chili than in the dead of winter.
Surprisingly, there is a huge discrepancy in how people make chili and I was amazed at how different all of the entries at our cook-off tasted. One recipe, which consisted solely of meat and spices, was the perfect chili to serve over Fritos with a generous dollop of grated cheese. Another recipe was meatless, with black-eyed peas and corn, while yet another was slightly sweet with a tomato sauce base that was delicious served over rice. Our entry, my own recipe that I have tweaked over the years, was hearty, with three types of beans, ground beef and chunks of green pepper (which incidentally won the best all-around award). There was even a white chili, a unique and tasty combination of chicken and white beans in a thick, spicy broth. Although no one brought Cincinnati chili, unique for its flavor and the fact that it is typically served over spaghetti, we all agreed that it would have been a nice addition, so I have included a recipe.
This winter, I urge you to put the heat on with a pot of hearty chili, or gather a few friends together for an impromptu chili cook-off of your own. Be sure and provide a variety of accompaniments, such as cornbread, steamed rice, Fritos and tortilla chips, as well as chili toppings such as grated cheese and sour cream. Following are a few winning recipes to try.
Best Chili Recipe (award winner—Most Authentic)
2-1/2 lb. lean ground chuck
1 lb. lean pork
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 c. finely chopped onion
1 c. water
1 12 oz. can beer
3 Tbs. chili powder
2 Tbs. instant beef bouillon (or 6 cubes)
2 Tbs. cumin, ground
2 tsp. paprika
2 tsp. oregano
2 tsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. coriander, ground
1 tsp. unsweetened cocoa
1/2 tsp. Louisiana hot sauce
1 tsp. cornmeal
1 tsp. flour
1 tsp. warm water
In a large saucepan, brown 1-1/4 pounds of ground meat (the beef and pork); drain the fat. Remove meat. Brown the rest of the ground meat; drain all but 2 Tbs. of the fat. Add the garlic and onion; cook and stir until tender. Add the remaining meat and tomato sauce, water, beer, chili powder, bouillon, cumin, paprika, oregano, sugar, coriander, cocoa and hot sauce. Mix well.
Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 2 hours. In a small bowl, stir together cornmeal and flour, then add warm water and mix well. Stir into chili and cook, covered, for an additional 20 minutes.
Chunky Red, White and Blue Chili (award winner—All-Around Favorite)
2 lb. coarsely ground beef
2 small green bell peppers, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 cans (16 oz.) stewed tomatoes, undrained and chopped or slightly mashed
1 can red kidney beans, drained
1 can black beans, drained
1 can white beans, drained
2 (8 oz.) cans tomato sauce
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded & chopped
2 Tbs. chili powder
1/2 tsp. salt
Brown ground beef with green pepper, onion and garlic. Add remaining ingredients and transfer to a slow cooker. Cook on high 3-4 hours.
Robyn Wilkinson’s Wowee, Wonderful, Warm, White Chili (award winner—Most Unique Chili)
1-1/2 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts, washed and patted dry
2 cans (14 oz. each) chicken broth
1 jar (48 oz.) great northern beans, with liquid
1 large onion, chopped
2 tsp. minced fresh garlic
1 can (3 oz.) chopped green chiles, with liquid
2 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 bag frozen corn
1/4 to 1/2 c. finely chopped cilantro
1 container (8 oz.) sour cream
1 to 2 c. shredded Monterey Jack cheese
Bake the chicken breasts at 350º for 30 minutes. Cut into pieces. In a large pot, pour a small amount of the broth. Add onion and garlic and simmer until onion is wilted and hot. Add the chiles, stir, then add the remaining broth and beans with liquid. Mix in the cumin, oregano, chili powder and garlic salt. Bring to a boil and add chicken pieces and frozen corn. Cover and simmer for at least 30 minutes.
Right before serving stir in the cilantro and the sour cream. Serve topped with shredded cheese, cilantro sprigs and tortilla chips if desired.
Cincinnati “Skyline” Chili
1 qt. cold water
2 lb. ground beef
2 c. crushed tomato
2 yellow onions, diced
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 Tbs. Worcestershire sauce
1 Tbs. unsweetened cocoa
1/4 c. chili powder
1 tsp. cayenne
1 tsp. ground cumin
2 Tbs. cider vinegar
1 whole bay leaf
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
1 tsp cinnamon
1-1/2 tsp. salt
Cooked spaghetti to serve chili over, optional
Add beef and water to a 4-quart pot. Bring to a simmer while stirring until the ground beef is in very small pieces. Simmer for 30 minutes and add all the remaining ingredients.
Simmer on low, uncovered, for three hours. Add water as needed if the chili becomes too thick.
Refrigerate the chili overnight. Remove the layer of fat from the top of the chili the next day before reheating and serving.
The Cincinnati “Skyline” Chili Ordering Code
1-way—just the chili
2-way—chili served over spaghetti
3-way—chili, spaghetti and grated Cheddar cheese
4-way—chili, spaghetti, cheese and onions
5-way—chili, spaghetti, cheese, onions and beans.
Deborah Dove is a freelance writer from Allen. |
