Around our house Chili is a four season dish, warming and satisfying after sitting in a cold rink watching hockey or ladled over bratwurst on a blazing August afternoon.
According to Wikipedia, Chili con carne (literally “Chili with meat”, often known simply as chili) is a spicy stew. The name “chili con carne” is taken from Spanish, and means “peppers with meat.” Traditional versions are made, minimally, from chili peppers, meat, garlic, onions, and cumin, along with chopped or ground beef. Beans and tomatoes are frequently included. Variations, both geographic and personal, may involve different types of meat as well as a variety of other ingredients. It can be found worldwide in local variations and also in certain American-style fast food restaurants. The variant recipes provoke disputes among afficionados, and the dish is used as an ingredient in a number of other foods.
The ‘chili snobs’ with their ‘no-beans’ or ‘yes-beans’ attitudes aside, the real beauty of chili lies in its simplicity and adaptibility, making it a great ‘what’s in the cupboard?’ evening meal with a loaf of crusty bread or bowl of tortilla chips. My wife, for example, is not a big fan of kidney beans – mostly the texture – but these can be easily replaced by black beans. As well, since I am often making chili for children and families, adding a can of baked beans to the mix yields a sweeter, milder stew.
Simple Chili
Ingredients
- 1/2 kg of ground beef
- 1 medium onion
- 1/2 medium green or red pepper
- 1 – 796 ml can of whole tomatoes
- 1- 540 ml can of kidney beans
- 1 – 398 ml can of pork and beans
- Seasonings – Lea and Perrins Worcestershire Sauce, Soya Sauce, chili powder, brown sugar, cinnamon, pepper (other family favourite spices).
Instructions
- In a large pot or dutch oven brown the meat over medium heat.
- When the meat is semi-browned add the onion and green pepper diced (but not too small) and a healthy splash of the Lea & Perrins and Soya Sauce.
- Once the meat is browned and the onions begin to carmelize reduce heat to a simmer and add the remaining ingredients.
- Season to your own particular taste.
- Simmer for about 45 minutes to an hour until the kidney beans have softened and the flavours melded.
- Variations
- Substitute black beans or 5 bean medley for the kidney beans. A 398 ml can of sliced mushrooms added a nice nuance to the stew. Ground beef can be substituted by stewing beef, cut fairly small but add another 10 – 15 minutes simmering time.
How simple is that? In true James Barber fashion this is a recipe to ‘play with’ – I have even heard of vegetarians substituting firm tofu for the meat. And the recipe multiplies wonderfully! The most I have made in one session was a 10 gallon stock pot full! And other than simmering for a couple of hours rather than a single hour was exactly the same – other than a slightly sore elbow from opening all those cans!
¡Goce!