zentMRS's Chilly Misnomer

I haven't always liked chili.  We didn't grow up making chili.  At least I don't remember making it.  {Mom can you tell me if I am remembering wrong?}  We had the kind from the can, which I personally don't think is great.  Especially when there are such great chili recipes out there!

I made my first chili after I moved to California.  I used a recipe out of The Gourmet Gazelle Cookbook, and it was fantastic!

The Mr likes chili too.  He likes it HOT.  Once on "The Simpsons" Homer went to a chili cook-off.   At the cook-off, Homer demonstrates an extraordinary ability to withstand hot foods, until he falls victim to Chief Wiggum's chili which is spiked with "The Merciless Peppers of Quetzlzacatenango! Grown deep in the jungle primeval by the inmates of a Guatemalan insane asylum".   These insanity peppers made Homer go on a vision quest where he met his spirit guide.  It was a coyote.  I think The Mr wants to meet his spirit guide.  But I haven't found any Guatemalan insanity peppers.  Yet.

I have found a good mixture of flavor and heat in this recipe though.  I can't quite call it chili - it's pretty hot... I think the name is a bit of a misnomer!


zentMRS's Chilly Misnomer

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 pounds lean beef, sliced into bite-sized pieces and cooked
• 1 1/2 pounds chicken breast, sliced into bite-sized pieces and cooked
• 2 medium onions
• 1 jar (half pint) of roasted red peppers
• 1 quart of tomato sauce
• fresh hot peppers to taste (I used about 6 jalapenos, 6 cayenne and 2 habaneros)
• 1 tablespoon cumin
• 3/4 cup red wine
• 2 cups dry red beans, cooked (I cooked mine in a pressure cooker while the chili was simmering)

Directions:

Brown the onions with the roasted red peppers.  Finely chop the hot peppers and add.

Stir in the meat and cook for 5 minutes.

Add the tomato sauce and cumin.  Simmer over low heat for about 30 minutes.

Here is where I cooked my red beans in my pressure cooker.

Add the cooked beans and red wine to the chili, stir and cook another 15 minutes.

Serve with crusty french bread!  Or tortillas.  A little shredded cheese and sour cream are delicious additions too.

I love how this brings the heat.  Not so hot that you can't eat it, but building up over time so that you almost can't finish it... except it tastes so good you want seconds!  This is my all-time favorite chili.  I hope you try and love it!




I've entered this in a Chili Cookoff - check out the other entries here:

TEXAS STAR CHILI COOK OFF 2012

 

When you are there, be sure to click on mine if you like it so that I can get your vote!

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