Chili

Gail's Not-a-Recipe Chili

Brown 1 lb. ground meat (beef, bison, pork or chicken) in oil in a pan, separating meat with a fork. Use a slotted spoon to remove meat from pan.

Wash and remove seeds from 2 large orange, red or green peppers. Slice.

Heat oil in a large pot, add 1 Tbsp cumin, 1 to 2 large chopped yellow onions, a diced clove of garlic, stir.

When onions are soft, add peppers, stir.

Add to the pot:

 1 can diced tomatoes and 1/2 can tomato paste OR 1 jar spaghetti sauce and a diced fresh tomato.

 1 large or 2 small cans drained kidney beans or black beans.

  The browned ground meat.

  1 Tbsp ancho chili powder or TexMex seasoning.

    Salt to taste.

Increase heat until the pot bubbles and then turn heat to low and simmer covered till flavours are blended stirring occasionally.

If you use a lot of fresh tomatoes and peppers and the chili is watery, take off the lid for awhile or stir in a little corn starch blended in cold water.

Serve in bowls with sour cream or plain yogurt, crumble tortilla chips on top and grated cheddar cheese, provide  Frank's red hot sauce for people who want to spice it up more.

Marinated Mushroom Chili

• 2 lbs ground beef,
• 4-6 large portobello mushrooms
• 1 cup red wine 
• 2 large onions, chopped
• 2 cans red kidney beans
• 2 cans diced tomatoes
• 1 can tomato paste
• Chili powder or dried chilis, to taste
• 2 bay leaves
• salt and pepper to taste
• olive oil
• cheddar cheese

1. Chop washed mushrooms into half-inch pieces and place in mixing bowl.
2. Pour red wine over mushrooms, stir, refrigerate 2 hours.
3. Pour olive oil over base of a large pot, heat.
4. Sautee onions in the hot oil until softened.
5. Add ground beef, stir and cook until browned. Spoon off excess grease.
6. Stir in tomatoes and tomato paste.
7. Stir in beans.
8. Add mushrooms, red wine, bay leaf, chilis to taste, adjust seasonings.
9. Cover pot and simmer on low 3 hours, stirring occasionally.
10. Serve with warm focaccia or corn bread.
11. Grate cheddar cheese on top of each serving bowl, add a dollop of sour cream if desired.

Red Magazine's Beef and Pork Chilli

Recipe from U.K.'s Red magazine, Jan. 2012.

Serves 10-12. Recipe can be doubled or tripled if you have a huge pot.
Can be made a day or 2 in advance.

• 4 tbsp olive oil
• 2 onions, peeled and diced
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 green peppers diced
• 2 red peppers diced
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 800 g minced pork
• 1.25 kg minced beef
• 4 tbp concentrated tomato puree
• 2 tsp-1 tbsp chilli powder (depending on how hot you like it)
• 2 tbsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp ground coriander (optional)
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 300 ml red wine (or water)
• 2 x 400 ml tins chopped tomatoes
• 400 ml beef stock
• 1 tin pinto beans

1. Warm olive oil in a heavy-bottomed pan or casserole over medium-low heat.
2. Add onions, bay leaf, pinch of salt.
3. Saute, stirring till onions are soft (10 min.)
4. Add peppers. Cook 10 min. more
5. Add garlic, cook 2 min. more
6. Turn up heat. Add minced pork and beef. Brown well (10 min.)
7. Add tomoato puree, chilli powder, cumin, coriander, cinnamon. Stir 2 min.
8. Add red wine. Simmer 5 min.
9. Add tomatoes and stock. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
10. Simmer, uncovered, 1 hour, stirring.
11. Add pinto beans. Cook 15 minutes more.
12. Taste, adjust seasoning, stir in herbs.
13. Serve in warmed bowls over chopped lettuce or plain boiled rice or alone.
14. Top with sour cream, grated cheddar, sliced green onions as you like.