I've combined a number of recipes for this year's batch of Superbowl chili, and added meat braising into the equation. It's cooking as I type this, so I've no real idea how it's going to turn out, but so far it seems like it's going to be the AWESOME. (Or inedibly spicy... one of those two...)
Shy's Superbowl Chili v.2010
Ingredients:
1 lb ground beef
3/4 lb sirloin, cut in 3/4-1 in cubes
5 cloves of garlic, chopped/minced
2 medium onions (red or yellow or both)
1 green bell pepper, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 Italian pepper, diced
1 Jalapeno pepper, finely diced
1 Serrano chili pepper, finely diced
1 long pepper, diced
2 6-oz cans tomato paste
1 28-oz can diced tomatoes
1/2 cup red wine
1 can/bottle beer
1 cup strong coffee
1 tbs Assorted dried chili peppers, ground up
1 tbs oregano
1/3 cup brown sugar or maple syrup
1 tbs cumin
1 tbs coriander
1 tbs cocoa
1 tbs chili powder
salt and pepper
1 1/2 tsp cayenne
2 bay leaves
1 tbs butter
2 tbs olive oil
cilantro
sour cream
Directions:
1. Season the cubes of meat with salt and pepper. (Seasoning just means sprinkling salt and pepper over the meat evenly. You'll get the hang of the amounts, but if you're just starting off, work with, say, 2 teaspoons (tsp).
2. Heat a large, over-proof pot over medium-high heat, then add butter and 1 tablespoon (tbs) of olive oil. (Hot pan, cold oil, foods won't stick.) Brown the cubed sirloin for about 8 minutes or until done on each side, then remove meat to a plate and then brown the ground beef. Remove ground beef to plate when done.
3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
4. Add remaining olive oil and saute garlic and onion for 5 minutes, then add peppers and saute for another 7-10 minutes, stirring often.
5. Return meat and any juices to the pot and stir, then add tomatoes, paste, beer, wine, sugar, coffee and spices. Cook on stovetop for another 10 minutes or so until liquids reduce a bit, then cover and put in oven for as long as humanly possible, stirring occasionally.
6. Turn off before bedtime.
7. Wake up, turn oven back on to 325 degrees F.
8. Right before game, take out of oven, season with salt and pepper to taste (this means TASTE it, then add more salt and pepper). Serve with freshly chopped cilantro and sour cream.
9. Pass out.
10. Send Shy thank-you note.
My, how time flies when you're not blogging. Valentine's Day, my birthday, meetings with ex's, romantic roller coaster rides: all come and gone.
(A bit of back story: I'm here visiting with my mother, who is in town from Thailand for a conference; her birthday is this week and she asked me to come and hang out with her. I've never been to Atlanta in my adult life, so voila, mini-vacation. Hence the hotel swankiness that I wouldn't otherwise be experiencing.)
After checking in, browsing the local Yelp for food recommendations, I went to wander around Downtown a bit. I didn't get all that far, but it seems to be a bit of a cultural and gastronomic wasteland. Lots of empty storefronts and streets, and what eateries were about are designed to cater to the college and convention crowd in the area. I popped into one recommended joint, the Calypso Cafe; about average Caribbean cuisine, stark decor, moderately priced, but they seemed to be out of half the menu. I had the "spicy" jerk chicken with plantains and rice and peas. Nothing to write home about (though here I am, writing about it.)
I strolled around the area a bit more. One thing I found confusing was that it was 50 degrees F, incredibly windy, yet some people seemed to be under the impression that it was much warmer, walking around in t-shirts and spring clothing. Furthermore, no one seemed to realize that they were supposed to be cold. The residents of Atlanta really need to learn to be cold and complain about the weather more - it's positively uncivilized.
