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Chili

Source of Recipe

From "Mad Hungry: Game Day Food" by Lucinda Quinn


Recipe Introduction

"Whether it's the Super Bowl, game night, or just a plain Tuesday dinner, this chili can be dressed up and down for any occasion. Always serve it with some combination of fixings, such as grated cheese, sour cream, sliced avocados, chopped tomatoes, chopped onion or scallions, or minced cilantro."

List of Ingredients

â—¦ 5 dried red chiles (Mexican ancho, New Mexican Hatch, or Anaheim)
â—¦ 1 tablespoon olive oil
â—¦ 1 cup chopped onion
â—¦ 3 cloves garlic, minced (1 tablespoon)
â—¦ 2 pounds ground beef
â—¦ 1 tablespoon coarse salt
â—¦ 1 teaspoon ground cumin
â—¦ ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, or pinch of cayenne pepper
â—¦ ½ teaspoon dried oregano
â—¦ 1 bay leaf
â—¦ ¼ cup pickled jalapeños, chopped (optional)
â—¦ 1 (28-ounce) can tomatoes, broken up, with juice
â—¦ 1 ½ cups beer
â—¦ 1 (15-ounce) can beans (pinto, kidney, black, or a combination), drained


Recipe

In a dry large skillet over high heat, lightly toast both sides of the chiles for a few minutes. After roasting, remove from pan to slice open, then remove and discard the stem and seeds. Cover the chiles in boiling water and let soften for 5 minutes. In a blender or food processor, purée the chiles with enough soaking liquid to form a thick paste.

Heat the skillet again over medium-high heat, and then add the olive oil. Sauté the onion and garlic until translucent, about 3 minutes. Increase the heat and add the beef and 2 teaspoons of the salt. Brown the beef, about 15 minutes. If the meat is excessively fatty (your judgment call), spoon off some of the fat, but leave some for flavor. Stir in the cumin, and cook for 30 seconds. Add the chile paste, red pepper flakes, oregano, bay leaf, jalapeños, and the remaining teaspoon of salt. Stir to combine well.

Add the tomatoes and beer and simmer for 30 minutes. Add the beans and cook for an additional 20 minutes. Add water if needed for desired consistency. Serve with preferred condiments (see headnote).

Serves 6