My daughter lives in Chile. There is a chili contest next week, and she wanted to know if her dad, the vaunted chilimaster of Mountain Top PA, had any recipes to share.
Of course I do.
Then she found out that the contest required her to make 10 kilos of chili, and she has this tiny apartment and mini-kitchen. Not impossible, but pretty much out of the question for a beginner. Heck, I wouldn’t do it, especially in her apartment. But, she said, now I want to make chili!
Now, Mosquette has some unusual preferences: she doesn’t like onions, she doesn’t like tomatoes. They can be okay in recipes, but raw onions and tomatoes are out. HOWEVER, the original Bowl of Red... the product of the Chili Queens of San Antonio... you can make that without tomatoes or onions. So, via texting, I coached her through it.
1 1/2 kilos of huachalomo (Chilean word for chuck roast)
4 cloves garlic
3 tablespoons chili powder
2 tablespoons cumin
1 tablespoon Mexican oregano
beef broth, chicken broth, or lager beer
aji verde (green aji peppers)
salt & pepper
masa harina
I had to stick with stuff she could get, and would use, so no dried chile peppers. Via text I gave her the process: cubing and browning the beef, sweating the garlic and peppers and spices, deglazing with the liquid, simmering uncovered until the beef cubes are soft, mixing the masa with water and adding it in. Then after it simmers, taste it frequently: if it needs more salt, or pepper, or cumin, or chili powder, if it seems watery, or too thick, etc. You know. Cooking. Instead of reading a recipe. She sent a photo right after she poured in the beer:
Her reply, in texts: "Dad." "Amazing." "We. Loved it. Thank you!"
I told her that the basic outline is almost 200 years old, and that it was what chili tasted like back when it was first cooked, and she was pretty impressed by that.
You know, chili is pretty adaptable, but the basics can be a revelation. If you are used to the endless variations of ground beef and tomatoes chili, beans or no beans, oddball ingredients, special spice blends, and it all gets tiresome. If you do try this, you will be astonished at how good it is. (And, if you add an onion, it is still really good.)
Of course I do.
Then she found out that the contest required her to make 10 kilos of chili, and she has this tiny apartment and mini-kitchen. Not impossible, but pretty much out of the question for a beginner. Heck, I wouldn’t do it, especially in her apartment. But, she said, now I want to make chili!
Now, Mosquette has some unusual preferences: she doesn’t like onions, she doesn’t like tomatoes. They can be okay in recipes, but raw onions and tomatoes are out. HOWEVER, the original Bowl of Red... the product of the Chili Queens of San Antonio... you can make that without tomatoes or onions. So, via texting, I coached her through it.
1 1/2 kilos of huachalomo (Chilean word for chuck roast)
4 cloves garlic
3 tablespoons chili powder
2 tablespoons cumin
1 tablespoon Mexican oregano
beef broth, chicken broth, or lager beer
aji verde (green aji peppers)
salt & pepper
masa harina
I had to stick with stuff she could get, and would use, so no dried chile peppers. Via text I gave her the process: cubing and browning the beef, sweating the garlic and peppers and spices, deglazing with the liquid, simmering uncovered until the beef cubes are soft, mixing the masa with water and adding it in. Then after it simmers, taste it frequently: if it needs more salt, or pepper, or cumin, or chili powder, if it seems watery, or too thick, etc. You know. Cooking. Instead of reading a recipe. She sent a photo right after she poured in the beer:
Her reply, in texts: "Dad." "Amazing." "We. Loved it. Thank you!"
I told her that the basic outline is almost 200 years old, and that it was what chili tasted like back when it was first cooked, and she was pretty impressed by that.
You know, chili is pretty adaptable, but the basics can be a revelation. If you are used to the endless variations of ground beef and tomatoes chili, beans or no beans, oddball ingredients, special spice blends, and it all gets tiresome. If you do try this, you will be astonished at how good it is. (And, if you add an onion, it is still really good.)
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