Big City Chili

Big City Chili, originally uploaded by Kim De.

As I dash off to a busy afternoon, I wanted to tell you about the chili we had Superbowl Sunday. I made Big City Chili from Frontera Fiesta, a new website from Rick Bayless.

This is great for a party, because you can make it the night before and during the party you slowly re-heat it while you mingle with your guests.

Quick chili! Except, it isn't. The amount of time it took me to cube 3 pounds of meat, well let's say I didn't find it worth the time. During consumption, you can't even tell it was cubed pork shoulder and short ribs. I honestly think a quick brown of some good quality ground beef would produce the same results.

It was tasty and not too spicy, for those of you who prefer it that way. Now, having said that, I won't make this one again. I actually found this chili to have a deeper flavor, from the chocolate and cinnamon, and more of a spicy kick, from the chorizo.

As much as it pains me to admit it, because I love Rick Bayless, I enjoyed the last one better.

But this one was good. It got great reviews from my guests. You should try it!

Big City Chili (Rick Bayless)

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 pounds boneless pork shoulder, cut into 1-inch pieces

1 3/4 pounds boneless beef short ribs, cut into 1-inch pieces

Salt

1 large red onion, diced

4 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 bottle (12 ounces) Bohemia beer

3 jars (16 ounces each) Frontera Guajillo Salsa or Frontera Roasted Tomato Salsa

1 tablespoon chili powder

1 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano, crumbled

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

2 tablespoons masa harina (corn flour for tortillas) dissolved in 1/4 cup water

2 cans (15 ounces each) white beans, drained

Garnishes:

Crumbled queso anejo or crumbled queso fresco

Sour cream

Chopped onion and fresh cilantro

Crumbled Frontera tortilla chips

Heat oil in large Dutch oven over medium heat. Pat meats dry with paper toweling. Season well with salt. Add meat to hot oil in a single, uncrowded layer. Cook, turning until brown on all sides. Remove to a large plate. Repeat to brown all meat. Add onion to drippings in pan and cook until golden, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook 1 minute.

Stir in beer and scrape up all the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Boil to reduce slightly, about 3 minutes. Stir in salsa, chili powder, oregano and cumin. Return meat to pan. Simmer, partially covered and stirring often, until meats are tender and falling apart, about 2 to 2 ½ hours.

Stir in dissolved masa and cook and stir until mixture thickens, about 10 minutes. Stir in beans and season to taste with salt, usually about 1 teaspoon. Simmer a few minutes.

Serve with garnishes.

Black Pepper Crusted Filets Mignon with Ancho-Red Pepper Sauce and Toasted Goat Cheese

filet2, originally uploaded by Kim De.

I sure love nights when we decide to have a treat, and Filet Mignon nights are certainly out of the ordinary.

I honestly am not sure what I could say about this meal that can't be deducted just from the title. So I'm not going to try. Just close your eyes and whisper the title out loud. Then run to the store for the ingredients, shuffle the kids off to the neighbors, pour the Zinfandel, and light the candles. You will be a big hit!

Black Pepper Crusted Filets Mignon with Ancho-Red Pepper Sauce and Toasted Goat Cheese (Adapted from Bobby Flay)

4 filet mignon steaks, each 1 1/2-inches thick
1 tablespoon ground cumin
2 tablespoons kosher salt
2 tablespoons coarsely ground black pepper
4 (3/4-inch thick) slices goat cheese
Ancho-Red Pepper Sauce, recipe follows
Chopped cilantro, for garnish

Preheat a cast iron skillet to medium-high. Remove the steaks from the refrigerator and let stand at room temperature for 20 minutes before cooking.

Combine the cumin, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Liberally season both sides of each filet with the spice mixture. Sear the filets for about 3 to 4 minutes on each side for medium doneness. If necessary, finish in the oven at 350.

Meanwhile, preheat the broiler. Top each filet with a slice of the cheese. Place under the broiler until cheese is golden brown and soft. Ladle the sauce onto each plate, place the steak in the center, and garnish with chopped cilantro.

Ancho-Red Pepper Sauce

2 tablespoons canola oil
1 large red onion, coarsely chopped
3 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
2 New Mexican red chiles, lightly toasted
2 quajillo chiles, lightly toasted
1 ancho chile, lightly toasted
6 to 8 cups homemade chicken stock
1/4 cup creme fraiche
2 tablespoons maple syrup
Salt and freshly ground pepper

Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onions and garlic, and cook until soft. Add the chiles and stock, and bring to a simmer for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the chiles are soft. Transfer the mixture to a food processor and process until smooth.

Strain the mixture into a saute pan that has been set on high heat for a few minutes, and cook the sauce until slightly thick. Remove from the heat and stir in the creme fraiche and maple syrup. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

All-American Chili

Chili, originally uploaded by Kim De.

Noon football game led us to our main meal being lunch. I have been wanting to make this recipe for quite some time and can I tell you, it was worth the wait!

This is what chili should be, to my taste buds. Full of flavor. A bit spicy but not too much. Not greasy, but a great mouth feel. A wonderful palate for add-ons, but strong enough to stand along. Most importantly - great with ice cold beer!

All-American Chili (Adapted from Cooking Light)

6 oz hot turkey Italian sausage, casings removed
2 cups chopped onion
1 cup chopped red bell pepper
8 garlic cloves, minced
16 oz ground sirloin
1 jalapeño pepper, chopped
3 Tbs tomato paste
2 Tbs chili powder
1 Tbs ground cumin
1 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/4 tsp salt
2 bay leaves
1 1/4 cups Merlot
56 oz canned whole tomatoes, undrained and coarsely chopped
2 oz shredded white cheddar cheese

In a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat, add onion and garlic, sauteing for 3-4 minutes until the onion is soft. Add the sausage, red bell pepper, ground sirlion and jalapeño. Cook 6 minutes or until sausage and beef are browned, stirring to crumble.

Stir in tomato paste, chili powder, cumin, oregano, black pepper, salt and bay leaves. Cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add in wine and tomatoes and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 1 hour, stirring occasionally.

Uncover and cook for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove the bay leaves and ladle into bowls. Sprinkle each serving with cheese.

NOTE: My crockpot instructions: After browning, I took the beef mixture and moved it to the crockpot, then added the tomato paste and the rest of the ingredients. I cooked on high for about an hour, then moved to low until ready to serve (about another hour)