Chili
February 6, 2010 posted by David Leite
Lucinda Scala Quinn | Mad Hungry: Feeding Men and Boys | Artisan, 2009 |Serves 6
Different chili recipes present a wide variety of regional personalities and variations, not to mention favorites: Do you like it with or without beans? Chopped meat or ground meat? Whole chiles or mixed chile powder, or both? This recipe will appeal to just about everyone. Whether it’s the Super Bowl, game night, or just a plain Tuesday dinner, it can be dressed up and down for the occasion. Always serve it with some combination of toppings, such as grated cheese, sour cream, sliced avocados, chopped tomatoes, chopped onion or scallions, or minced cilantro. Garnish with salty tortilla chips or crumble in corn bread.—Lucinda Scala Quinn
convert Ingredients
5 dried red chiles (Mexican ancho, New Mexican Hatch, or Anaheim)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
3 garlic cloves, minced (1 tablespoon)
2 pounds ground beef
1 tablespoon coarse salt
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, or pinch of cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1 bay leaf
1/4 cup pickled jalapeños, chopped (optional)
One 28-ounce can tomatoes, broken up, with their juice
12 ounces beer
One 15-ounce can beans (pinto, kidney, black, or a combination), drained
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Method
1. In a dry large skillet over high heat, lightly toast both sides of the chiles for a few minutes. After roasting, remove from pan to slice open, then remove and discard the stem and seeds. Cover the chiles in boiling water and let soften for 5 minutes. In a blender or food processor, purée the chiles with enough soaking liquid to form a thick paste.
2. Heat the skillet again over medium-high heat, and then add the olive oil. Sauté the onion and garlic until translucent, about 3 minutes. Increase the heat and add the beef and 2 teaspoons of the salt. Brown the beef, stirring occasionally to pick up browned bits on the bottom of the pan as the moisture evaporates, about 15 minutes. If the meat is excessively fatty (your judgment call), spoon off some of the fat, but leave some for flavor.
3. Stir in the cumin and cook for 30 seconds. Add the chile paste, red pepper flakes, oregano, bay leaf, jalapeños, and the remaining teaspoon of salt. Stir to combine well.
4 .Add the tomatoes and beer and simmer for 30 minutes. Add the beans and cook for an additional 20 minutes. Add water, if needed, for desired consistency. Serve with preferred condiments (see headnote).
Recipe © 2009 Lucinda Scala Quinn. Photo © 2009 Mikkel Vang. All rights reserved.
© 2010 Leite’s Culinaria, Inc. All rights reserved. Terms of use.
LC
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LC to your 
Hey, this is a delicious dish and a no-brainer. The only time consumed was that of letting it simmer in the pot for about an hour. It was delicious with the yummy condiments! This was super good with your cheddar jalapeño corn bread.
Thanks!
[Emily O.] I liked that this chili had all the makings of a great, hearty meal: beef, beans, beer, and dried chiles. For the beer, I used a domestic IPA (India Pale Ale), so I’m not sure if changing the style of beer really matters. I bought coarse-grind beef chuck and really liked the texture once it cooked. I also used canned white beans for this test and I toasted Ancho and New Mexico chiles. Next time, though, I’d try using black beans, and I think I’d cook the chile paste made in step 1 to deepen the flavors, as this technique is quite popular and common in Mexican cooking. My toppings included shredded white Cheddar cheese, chunks of avocado, and a dollop of non-fat Greek yogurt.