New Year's Day Dinner
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Cooking time: 60 - 80 minutes for menu Cooking schedule: see below for "menu" instructions |
Happy New Year!
Welcome back to reality!
Chili Time: 60 - 80 minutes
This is my recipe. I know it is not authentic 'Texas Chili'. If any of you 'Chili' aficionados want to argue about what's wrong with it go ahead. If it would make you feel better I'll call it 'TfC Chili'. I use tomato juice to 'thin' it. This is purely to taste. I use 1 - 2 cups; mon mari would use none, my sister would use 5 - 6. You can drink or freeze any unused juice in 1 cup portions.
1 lb ground beef (500gr mince) coarsely ground for chili is nice if you can get it
2 medium
onions
6 cloves garlic
2 medium green peppers or 1 large
2 cans whole tomatoes 15 oz (450gr) each
2 cans
red kidney beans, 15 oz (450gr) each, drained and rinsed
1 can pinto or navy beans in tomato sauce (pork & beans), pork removed
1 can green chiles , 4 oz (125gr)
1 tbs oregano
1 tbs basil
4 bay leaves
2 tbs chili powder, more or less to taste if needed
1/2 tsp cumin
1 tbs Worcestershire sauce
2 tsp beef base, paste or 1 stock cube or 1/2 cup beef stock
1 tbs olive oil
1 - 4 cups tomato juice, depending on your preference
Chop onion and pepper. Mince garlic. Heat olive oil in Dutch oven or stock pot 4 - 5 qt (4 litre). Add 1 tbs chili powder and sauté for 1 minute. Add onion and pepper, sauté for 5 minutes. Add garlic and sauté 5 minutes longer. Add beef and brown, breaking it up as it cooks. Drain tomatoes, reserving juices. Roughly chop tomatoes. Drain and rinse kidney beans. Open pinto beans and remove pork if any. When beef is brown add tomatoes, juices, and beans. Stir well. Add green chiles, herbs, beef paste, 1 tbs chili powder and Worcestershire. Heat to boiling. Add 1 or more cups of tomato juice. Cover, reduce heat and let simmer at least 20 minutes. Taste. Add more chili powder if you choose. Simmer 10 minutes more - or longer. Remove bay leaves and serve. You can garnish with shredded cheese, crème fraiche, or both, on top...
Note: You can keep adding chili powder, chiles, jalapeños, hot sauce, whatever, until you get the taste you want. Just remember to simmer for 10 minutes, to blend the flavors, after each adjustment.
Cheese Popovers Time: 45 minutes
Popovers are so easy, and so good hot from the oven, slathered in some sweet butter, of course. The secret is simple: whisk the eggs, then lightly whisk in the milk and flour; a few lumps are okay, you don't want to deflate the eggs.
1 cup flour
1 cup milk
2 egg
1/4 tsp salt
3 tbs shredded cheese, cheddar, Gruyère
butter - for pan
Butter muffin pan - even if it is nonstick, it's easier. Lightly beat eggs (see techniques for egg separation) with fork or hand whisk. Add flour, milk, salt and whisk lightly - do not try to get out all of the lumps - doing this would cause over beating and tough popovers. Ladle half the batter into muffin pan. Divide the cheese evenly and sprinkle over batter. Ladle the rest of the batter on top. Cups should be 1/2 - 2/3 full. Put into preheated 450F (230C) oven for 25 minutes. Turn temperature down to 350F (180C) and continue baking 15 minutes longer, until nicely browned. Remove and serve.
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Cooking schedule: 60 - 80 minutes, depending on how much adjusting you do... |
Add next ingredients to chili, heat and stir |
Cooking for Two? Or more?
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All text and images are copyright © 2005 - 2007 Kathleen Lerum Zeller.
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