Chili taste-off :)

[mightyh]

It's getting fall-like here and my mouth is hunkering for chili. I don't have a tried and true recipe, just usually throw stuff together when I make it. Do any of you have great chili recipes that you'd be willing to share? Or any unusual chili recipes? I'm thinking of having a chili taste-off party and might like to experiment with a bunch of different options.

[lindrusso]

mightyh,

robinf just mentioned a chili recipe on the vegetarian entertaining thread that I asked her to post - so check back there for a very interesting sounding recipe.

In the meantime, here's one that I adapted from a couple of different vegetarian recipes. The main part of the recipe is from Jane Brody's Good Food Book. Since it only calls for a tablespoon of oil and it has no meat, it is also very low fat.

1 tablespoon olive oil or vegetable oil
1 or 2 small zucchini, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
3 large cloves garlic, minced
1 green pepper, chopped
1 fresh jalapeno pepper, finely chopped (wear rubber gloves)
2 (28-ounce) cans pureed tomatoes
1/2 teaspoon coriander
1/4 teaspoon whole cloves, or generous pinch of ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon allspice berries, or generous pinch of ground allspice
2 teaspoons dried oregano
2 teaspoons black pepper, or to taste
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 or 2 tablespoons mild chili powder
2 tablespoons ground cumin
2 cups cooked kidney beans
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 cup uncooked brown rice
2 cups boiling water

1. In a large Dutch oven, heat the oil and sautee the zucchini, onions, garlic, green pepper and jalapeno pepper, until they are softened. Add the tomatoes (and puree), coriander, cloves, allspice, oregano, black pepper, brown sugar, chili powder, cumin, and beans. Bring the chili to a boil, reduce heat, cover the pan and simmer the chili for 30 minutes.

2. While the chili is cooking, in a medium saucepan add the rice to the boiling water, reduce the heat, cover tightly and simmer the rice for 15-35 minutes, according to package directions. Serve the chili over rice and garnish with items of your choice - such as grated cheddar cheese.

[Ohioan]

Unfortunately, I can't give you a real recipe with ingredient quantities, since I make chili on the "throw it in the pot until it tastes good" principle, but I usually start with a pot of almost cooked beans and add the following:

(Note: I don't list onion and garlic here because I cook them along with the beans and by the time the beans are done, the onion and garlic have pretty much disintegrated into the cooking liquid. If you use canned beans, saute some onion and garlic first, until they're soft, and then throw them into the pot of beans.)

Ground ancho pepper.
Ground chipotle pepper.
Chopped jalapeno pepper.
Mexican oregano.
Ground cumin.
Cocoa powder.
Chopped fresh cilantro.
Salt.

Add enough water to keep the chili soupy while the beans finish cooking and the flavors blend. Then, toward the very end, dribble in some cornmeal (or masa) and keep cooking and stirring until the cornmeal is cooked through and thickens the gravy.

Also good additions are chopped bell peppers (red and/or green), cooked along with the beans or sauteed with the onion and garlic if you use canned beans. But the more peppers you use, I think, the more cornmeal -- or corn -- you need to add at the end to balance them.

You'll notice there are no tomatoes here. That's because I lived in Texas for five years, where tomatoes in chili are anathema. http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/wink.gif

Phoebe

[andreajackson]

Speaking of Chili, my sister went to a Chili cookoff in St. Louis yesterday and she was telling me how good it was. But then she told me that they had a White Castle Chili!! YUCK! They even used the buns as croutons, can you imagine?
A question- I would like to know how many people use noodles in their chili and how many don't? I love mine with noodles, how about everyone else?

[Janet R]

I know what you mean. About a week into cooler weather, I make a pot of chili a few days ago. As a soup lover anyway, I really look forward to this time of year. I don't have a definite recipe either. But I really enjoy experiementing, and as a chef, my family and I are rarely unsatisfied. My most recent effort was the product of using leftover (which I love to do). The day before I had made Pepper Steak. So in the slow cooker I put, the remainder of the steak
, chopped into good sized chunks, the leftover gravy, a chopped onion, a chopped green pepper, a chopped yellow pepper, a chopped red pepper, chopped peeled and seeded tomatoes, and a quart of tomato juice.
All of the vegetables had come from my garden. A few days previously, I had made a pot of Navy Bean Soup, and had about a pint of thick beans left, so of course I added them too. Instead of using chili powder, I use about a teaspoon of onion powder, a teaspoon of garlic powder, and used poultry shears to cut a dried red chili pepper(from my own garden of course). I set the slow cooker on low and let it do it's job. 4 hours later, my family and I enjoyed one of the best pots of chili i had made in quite a while. My husband and children like to put a teaspoon of sugar in the bottom of their bowls then add the hot soup. On top they sprinkle reduced-fat cheddar, and large dollop of fat-free sour cream.
There are always leftovers, and as usual, I find a use for that also.
I have never had my very own chili cookoff, but it sounds like great fun. Good Luck.

[mightyh]

wanted to bump this up to the top to get some more great ideas...

[valeriek]

I have a chili recipe that I absolutely love and it gets a good response whenever I serve it, but is does use a mix and a whole bunch of canned staples - I hope you don't think any less of me! I use a crock pot to meld the flavors. I'm going by memory here, but this is what I serve when the weather turns and I need chili!

1 pound ground beef
1 can stewed chili tomatoes
1 can mexican style pinto beans
1 can red kidney beans
1 can tomato sauce
1 can tomato paste
1 can chopped green chili's
1 large onion
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 pkg. medium or hot chili seasoning (such as McCormick's)

Brown ground beef - add to crock pot. Chop onion and saute until soft - add to crock pot. Drain and rinse kidney beans - add to crock pot. Throw all the other ingredients into the crock pot. Stir well and cook on low for 3-4 hours. This makes a thick chili - just they way I like it. Serve topped with Cheddar Cheese and with a side of corn bread.

[This message has been edited by valeriek (edited 09-25-2000).]

[lorilei]

Here is my signature chili recipe. The secret's in the chocolate.

VEGGIE CHILI w/BEANS

1 large onion
2 cans tomato paste
1 cup roasted garlic vegetable stock
5-6 cloves garlic, minced
1 T Oregano
1 T Basil
1 T Cumin
4-6 T chili powder
cayenne powder, to taste
Red wine, as needed
1 can diced tomatoes OR 3-4 tomatoes, diced
1 can black beans, drained
1 can cannellini beans, drained
1 cup corn, fresh or frozen
2 tsp liquid smoke
1 square unsweetened baking chocolate

Sautee onion in olive oil until tender. Add stock, tomato paste and herbs. Add cayenne to taste. Blend well. Add red wine until chili reaches the desired consistency. Add beans, corn, liquid smoke and square of chocolate. Simmer for 30 minutes or until flavors are well blended.

Serve with cheddar cheese and sour cream.

[karen]

Lorilei,

Would your chili recipe go well with meat? If so, what kind?

[lorilei]

Karen - I've made this recipe with meat - yes. Ground beef or turkey is good. If you change the steps slightly and brown it with the onions you can add the garlic and liquid smoke right to the meat and it gives it a great flavor.

If you try it, let me know how you like it.

[hsvaughan]

There is a red chicken chili recipe from CL that my entire family absolutely loves. You might be able to search for it on this site, if not I will post it if you want. It is yummy and I served it for Christmas Eve last year with rave reviews!

[cjm]

I've been busy all day and am just now looking at the BB. Here is a really EASY and GOOD chili recipe I clipped out of our local newspaper Holiday Cookbook in 1996. Hope I'm not too late for your menu.

Red River Chili

1 c. chopped onion
2 lb ground chuck
1 can(14.5 oz) diced tomatoes, including juice
1 can(4.5 oz) chopped green chilies
1 can (10 oz) tomatoes with green chilies
2 cans (28 oz each) crushed tomatoes
1 can (15 oz) red beans (can add more if you like)
1 c. picante sauce
2 T. chili powder
1 t. salt
1/2 t. cummin
Monterey Jack Cheese with jalapeno peppers, grated

Brown onion & ground chuck in large saucepan. Drain off fat. Return meat to dutch oven & add remaining ingredients, except cheese. Serve with grated cheese on top. Use Monterey Jack Cheese without jalapeno peppers if you don't want it so spicy.

Makes 6 servings (really makes more)!!

Hope you like it.

[JeanneW]

Janet, a teaspoon of sugar in the bottom of a bowl of chile? I've never heard of that and it sounds interesting. What does it do to the chili? Does it make it taste sweet? Thanks for answering my curious question.

Jeanne

[SueK]

Originally posted by hsvaughan:
There is a red chicken chili recipe from CL that my entire family absolutely loves. You might be able to search for it on this site, if not I will post it if you want. It is yummy and I served it for Christmas Eve last year with rave reviews!

Could you post this recipe when you get a chance? I was going to search for it, but am having intermittent computer problems today!
Thanks!

[Beth]

I made this the other day and had to print out a copy of the recipe for the painter who was working outside my house. My husband loves it. It is a South American chili, not Mexican or SW American, very rich, and more like a stew. I also have a Black Bean Chili with Corn that is very good.


* Exported from MasterCook *

Chili Colorado with Pinto Beans

Recipe By :
Serving Size : 8 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories :

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
3 pounds Boneless beef round or chuck steak -- trimmed and cubed
2 T vegetable oil
1 cup onion -- chopped
4 cloves garlic -- minced
2 T chili powder -- (may increase to 3)
1 Teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon coriander
1 29 oz can tomato puree
4 Anaheim chili peppers -- seeded and chopped
4 jalapeno chile peppers -- seeded and chopped
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon sugar
2 16 oz pinto beans, canned -- drained
1/2 cup cheddar cheese -- grated

Trim beef of all fate and gristle; cut into 1-inch cubes. In dutch oven, heat oil over medium-high heat until hot. Add beef cubes in batches; cook about 4 minutes or until well browned, stirring frequently.

Add onions and garlic. Cook 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in chili powder, cumin and coriander and cook an additional minute.

Add tomato puree, Anaheim and jalapeno chilies, salt and sugar; mix well. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer 1-1/2 to 2 hours or until beef is tender, stirring occasionally.

Stir in beans. Cook until thoroughly heated. Serve chili topped with grated cheese.

Good served with flour tortillas.


- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Per serving: 672 Calories (kcal); 58g Total Fat; (75% calories from fat); 10g Protein; 33g Carbohydrate; 7mg Cholesterol; 1215mg Sodium
Food Exchanges: 1 Grain(Starch); 1/2 Lean Meat; 2 1/2 Vegetable; 0 Fruit; 11 1/2 Fat; 0 Other Carbohydrates


Nutr. Assoc. : 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

[BarbaraL]

The Red Chicken Chili recipe is in Sept 99 (or Annual Recipes 2000, page 214). I've never tried it because of the 1/4 CUP of chili powder. How hot is this dish? Do you have to go to Costco to get a mega-container of chili powder?

Red Chicken Chili

2 teaspoons olive oil
3 cups chopped onion
1/4 cup chili powder
1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 cups chicken stock (they refer you to another recipe in the magazine or book)
1 (16 oz) can kidney beans, drained
1 (15 oz) can black beans, drained
1 (14.5 oz) can whole tomatoes, undrained and chopped
3 cups diced cooked chicken
1/2 cup (2 oz) shredded, reduced-fat extra-sharp Cheddar cheese
1/2 cup low-fat sour cream

1. Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onion, saute 5 minutes. Add chili powder and next 4 ingredients; saute 30 seconds. Add chicken stock, beans and tomatoes; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer 30 minutes. Stir in chicken; simmer 15 minutes. Serve with cheese and sour cream.
Yield: 8 servings (serving size: 1 cup chili, 1 tablespoon cheese and 1 tablespoon sour cream).
Calories 280 (30% from fat); Fat 9.2 g (sat 3.3g; mono 3.3g, poly 1.6g); Protein 24.5g; Carb 26.6g; Fiber 5.4g; Chol 54 mg; Iron 3.6 mg; Sodium 743 mg; Calc 150 mg.