Chilly? Try Some Chili!

Today in the Northeast is a cold ,wet, icy, snowy kind of day. One of those days where the weather can’t make up its mind so we humans just have to hunker down and go with it. It’s also the final days of shopping and preparing for the holidays and because of this, I find it appropriate to give you my recipe for Christmas Chili served with cornbread. I love eating chili on chilly days and it’s always best days later so all you have to do is heat up a bowl of red and get on with your holiday adventures.

Chili is one of those dishes that are surrounded in myth and mystery. No one knows for certain where it came from but any Texan will tell you and rightly so that the dish did originate from Texas possibly with Mexican origins but most Mexicans will have nothing to do with this concoction. My favorite explanation comes from, Southwestern lore and gives the origin to the religious trances of the mystic Lady in Blue, Sister María de Ágreda. Sister María never left her home country of Spain, yet professed to evangelize natives of the New World by having out of body experiences and presenting herself before them in hypnotic visions. History cannot explain why in 1629, 50 Jumano Indians walked out of the desert of unsettled West Texas to be baptized. They told stories of an ethereal blue-clad woman who had taught them of God. According to Indian legend, the Lady in Blue also taught them of a fiery red stew, which over the next century came to be known as chili con carne. In another version, Sister María stated that she had received the recipe from the natives while in a trance. However the recipe came about the Chili Queens of San Antonio brought fame to the dish which spread throughout America. Before I lose my cowboy cooking card I want it to be known that traditional chili does not have, tomatoes, onions or beans, just to name a few popular ingredients. It consists of cubed beef various chilis, cumin, Mexican oregano, salt and pepper and some kind of liquid ranging from water, to beer and even strong coffee and that’s it! That being said I’m going to move forward with a version of chili that some wouldn’t call chili because it’s tempered down and adulterated, but it’s still hardy, warming and enjoyable by those without cast iron stomachs! And if folks in Kansas City can call their chili 5 ways, chili ,I can certainly call this dish Charlie’s Christmas Chili.

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This version uses ground beef which shouldn’t be used if making a traditional chili as the long slow cooking process would turn it to mush. Since we’re busy running around for the holidays I find cooking up a fast pot of chili is the best approach and it can be eaten days after it’s made freeing up your time for other important things. To make this Christmas Chili I use red and green peppers to give it that festive color. In the past I have tried red and green chilis but the red chilis tend to turn a deeper shade of red almost brown. Also note that when a recipe calls for chili powder, it usually means a prepared powder that has ground red chilis, cumin and oregano and other spices all mixed together. We’ll be using separate spices to make our chili.

• 1 pound ground beef
• 1 green bell pepper, cubed
• 1 red bell pepper, cubed
• 1 large onion chopped fine
• 4-5 cloves of garlic , diced
• 3-4 tablespoons of ground red chili
• 2 tablespoons of fresh ground cumin
• 2-3 teaspoons Mexican oregano crushed
• 1 large can of crushed tomatoes
• 2 15 ounces cans of kidney beans ( drained and rinsed)
• 2 tablespoons of oil for browning the meat
• 1 teaspoon or more of ground cayenne for additional heat (optional)

In a large pot, add the oil and brown the ground beef, add the peppers and the onions and garlic and cook until the onions become translucent. Add the tomatoes and bring to a boil. Toss in the chili powder, cumin and oregano and continue stirring and boiling to bring the flavors together, after about three minutes turn down to a simmer and add the beans. Let simmer for about 30 minutes and add salt and pepper to taste and cook another five minutes.Add water if needed. Be careful not to let the beans go to mush. The 35 minute cooking time is just a guide you may need more or less time. The chili can be eaten right away but it’s always best to make it a day ahead as the flavors really come together in the following days.

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Some people like to serve their chili with white rice or elbow macaroni and its also acceptable to serve it with grated cheese and or sour cream. When I was a little kid I use to love it with fritos or cheese nip crackers. I’m pretty sure just about anything can go with chili. I’ve heard of Oreo cookies and peanut butter and one guy put jelly in his! For me though the absolute best accompaniment for a bowl of chili is a huge piece of homemade cornbread. The recipe that follows is a basic cornbread recipe that you can add things into. If you want to make it Christmas cornbread chop up one red and one green jalapeño and place them in the batter. You can also add a little canned corn or grated cheddar cheese . I like to keep it simple and moist so I use buttermilk. I hope you give this recipe a try, its really good!

• 1 tablespoon of oil to grease the cast iron skillet or baking pan.
• 1 1/2 cups ground corn meal, stone ground if you can find it
• 1/2 cup all purpose flour
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 1/2 cups buttermilk
• 3 eggs lightly beaten
• 3-4 tablespoons melted butter
• Grease a 10 inch cast iron skillet or a baking dish and place in a 400 degree oven
• Place all the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl and throughly mix them together. ( Corn meal, flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, sugar)
• in another mixing bowl lightly beat the eggs, add the buttermilk and stir well, then add the melted butter stir to incorporate.
• Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix completely
• pull the skillet out of the oven (it will be very hot use an oven mitt!) Pour the batter into the hot skillet, it will sizzle, place back into the 400 degree oven and cook for 18-20 minutes or until the top begins to brown and a fork inserted in the middle comes out clean.
• Once its cooked I like to take some butter and rub it around the top letting it melt into the entire surface of the cornbread. Yes I am indulgent!

I love making cornbread and it’s so quick and easy. There’s no doubt that you’ll love making it as much as I do once you’ve tried this recipe. I like to remove it from the cast iron skillet once it’s cooled because I find the cornbread can take on the flavor of the skillet if left in to long. Cornbread is also great on its own or served hot with a little butter and honey . In the south they love eating cornbread in a glass of buttermilk. I have never acquired this taste but my two sisters love it.

I hope these two quick and hearty recipes can help you along your way during the holiday season, when we don’t have a lot of time for cooking because we’re all preparing for the big day. The next time you have a bowl of chili remember that you’re eating a part of a long mysterious past and a dish that has been touted to be everything from the devils soup to God’s ambrosia and a cure all for what ails ya. I love when a dish sparks such heated debate as chili does. As always pose any comments or questions in the box below and until next time Boone Appétit!