Rich, chocolaty, smoky chili con (many) chiles
| November 2, 2009 | Posted by ameliaps under chili, meats, soups, winter |
“Next to jazz music, there is nothing that lifts the spirit and strengthens the soul more than a good bowl of chili.” ~ Harry James
So today – Sunday – is a coldish day, the leaves are turning yellow in my backyard, I had WAY to much sugars last night (Halloween night), and I was cravings something warm, comforting, somewhat spicy and rich. A light-bulb went off: of course! it’s a chili-con-carne kind of day! 
But I did not want to make a standard out-of-the-box version. I wanted the REAL DEAL. Off I went to research ingredients and preparations. The one thing I knew I needed to do is make my own spice mix, from fresh spices (forget the 2-alarm kit…). Personally, I like a hint of chocolate and a smoky background in my chili, so I “personalized” my spice mix to fit that flavor-set, which includes, among other classic spices, smoked paprika, cocoa powder, coffee and dried ancho chiles. Also, I made a little extra so I could have it on hand for the future (also great as a dry rub for steak and to make tacos).
Finally, I wanted to use fresh, crisp, spicy chiles, so I went ahead and used a combination of poblano, serrano, habanero, and jalapeno.
I do like beans in my chili, so I used two kinds: pinto and red kidney, for variety. I finished off the preparation with a small piece of dark chocolate, to provide a Mexican flavor (chocolate is found in Mexican molé sauce) AND to increase my serotonin levels on a cold day!!!
One last thing… to make the preparation single-serve I baked the chili in small ramekins and topped it with cornbread. OH YEAH!!! The trick here is to dilute the chili a bit (if it’s thick) so that the cornbread will not absorbe all the juices.
I served with small dishes of shredded Mexican cheese mix, chopped fresh cilantro, chopped fresh green onions, and sour cream. You could of course also accompany with additional toppings, such as salsa (or pico de gallo), guacamole (or just plain sliced avocado) or lime wedges.
Rich, chocolatey, smoky chili con (many) chiles
4 Tbsp olive oil
2 pounds ground beef (or turkey) – you can also go classic and use cubed meat
Salt and pepper, TT
3 onions (yellow or red), finely chopped
4 cloves of garlic, minced (about 1 Tbsp.)
1 green pepper, chopped
4 fresh chile peppers (I used poblano, serrano, habanero, jalapeno), seeded and chopped fine
4 Tbsp (or more, TT) of Amelia’s chocolaty-smoky chili powder (*)
1 Tbsp chipotle pepper puree
1 (12 oz) stout beer (I use Guiness)
5 cups stock (chicken or beef) or water
1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes , with juice
1 (15-ounce) can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1 (15-ounce) can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 oz. dark chocolate
To serve: shredded Mexican cheese mix, chopped fresh cilantro, chopped fresh green onions, and sour cre
Heat 2 Tbsp. of the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Season the ground meat with salt and pepper and brown in the oil. Remove and set aside.
In the same pan add the remaining oil. Add the onions, garlic and chiles and cook until softened and translucent.Add the green pepper and cook for 2-3 minutes more. Add Amelia’s chili powder and stir to coat the vegetables, a couple of minutes. Add the beer, stock and tomatoes. Allow to cook for about 1 hour. Add the beans and cook one more hour. Taste and season again (adding salt, pepper or cayenne as needed). Turn off and stir in the chocolate. Ladle in bowls and serve…Yihaaaa!
Mini chili and cornbread pot pies
To present at best, I baked some mini chili pot pies topped with cornbread.
Since a lot of work had gone into making the chili itself this time I actually used a boxed cornbread mix. But check out this honeyd corne-bread recipe if you are planning to make your own topping: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/down-home-with-the-neelys/honey-cornbread-muffins-recipe/index.html
(*) Amelia’s chocolaty-smoky chili powder
Makes about 2 cups
6 dried ancho chiles, seeded, chopped, toasted, and ground
2 Tbsp chili powder
1 Tbsp cocoa powder
1 Tbsp ground cumin
1 Tbsp sweet paprika
1 Tbsp smoked paprika
1 Tbsp oregano
1 Tbsp ground coriander
1 Tbsp dried onion
1 Tbsp garlic powder
1 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
Mix all spices together.
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Your mini chili and cornbread pot pies look fabulous! I'll have to try this. Thanks!
That looks so delicious! Funny thing is I've been looking for the perfect chilli recipel. I tried Jamie Olivers…it was good but somehow missing something. Interesting that there's beer in your recipe. I'll really have to try this soon!
I need to get the right kind of lil pots so I can do this! I have been thinking about how much I love chili and cornbread presented like this but I dont have the materials, so cute!
Great recipe! Really hot!!! I added a couple of star anise to make it a tad more round/sweet.
you mention coffee in your spice mix yet its not in the list of spices ??
Sharon: I must have missed it. Add 1/2 Tbsp of powdered (or instant) coffee to the chili powder mix.