By Olivia Fowler

For the Courier

ofowler@thepccourier.com

Chili is a go-to dish for Super Bowl events. It’s popular with a crowd, but it doesn’t have to be predictable.

And remember, it can be as spicy as your taste buds dictate. You don’t have to put as much heat as called for, or you can reduce the amount of heat. It’s up to you and what your friends and family prefer.

These recipes can all be made ahead of time and refrigerated. It seems to give the flavors time to blend together. I hope you enjoy one of these this weekend. Go Panthers.

 

White Bean Chili

• 2 1/2 c. white beans, like a mixture of great northerns, cannellini and limas
• 4 large yellow onions
• 4 carrots
• 4 ribs celery
• 3 tbsp. olive oil
• 2 tbsp. garlic
• 1 jalapeno pepper
• 1/2 bunch parsley
• 3 qt. vegetable stock
• 6 sprigs fresh thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tbsp. cumin seed
• 1 tbsp. black pepper or to taste
• 2 tbdp. ground cumin
• 1 bunch cilantro
• 1 tbsp. fresh oregano leaves
• Salt to taste

Soak the beans for six hours or overnight. Drain and reserve.

Peel and dice onions and carrots. Trim and dice celery.

Heat oil in a large pot. Add onions, carrots and celery and sauté until soft.

While the vegetables are cooking, peel and mince garlic. Add to pan and sauté for two minutes.

Using rubber gloves or covering hands with plastic bags, clean seeds and stem from jalapeno and dice. Chop parsley.

Add beans to pot and toss for one minute. Add jalapeno, parsley, vegetable stock, thyme, bay leaf, cumin seed and black pepper. Bring to a simmer. Add cumin. Cook slowly for 90 minutes, or until desired consistency is reached.

Chop cilantro and pull oregano leaves from stems. Add salt, pepper, cilantro and oregano.

Remove from heat and let cool slightly. Remove bay leaf

Chili Con Carne

• 6 slices bacon
• 2 lbs. ground beef chuck
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 large green bell pepper, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• Kosher salt
• 1/4 c. chili powder
• 1 tbsp. ground cumin
• 2 tsp. paprika
• 2 tsp. dried oregano
• 2 tbsp. tomato paste
• 1 12-oz. bottle amber beer
• 2 tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 28-oz. can whole plum tomatoes, crushed by hand
• 1 1/2 c. low-sodium beef broth, plus more if needed
• 2 15-oz. cans black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 tbsp. hot sauce

• Shredded cheddar cheese, sliced scallions and/or sour cream, for topping (optional)

Cook the bacon in a large saucepan or Dutch oven over medium heat until crisp, 6-8 minutes per side. Drain on a paper towel-lined plate and let cool, then crumble and set aside. Pour off all but one tablespoon of the bacon drippings from the saucepan (reserve the drippings). Increase the heat to medium high, add the beef and cook, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon, until browned, about eight minutes. Transfer to a plate using a slotted spoon; wipe out the pan.

Heat one tablespoon of the reserved bacon drippings in the saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onion and bell pepper and cook, stirring, until soft, about five minutes. Add the garlic and one teaspoon salt and cook two minutes. Add the chili powder, cumin, paprika, oregano and tomato paste and cook, stirring, until the tomato paste is brick red, about six minutes (add a splash of water if the mixture begins to stick). Add the beer and simmer until almost completely reduced, about three minutes.

Stir in the beef and any juices from the plate; add the cocoa powder, tomatoes, beef broth and beans and bring to a simmer over low heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the chili thickens slightly, about one hour, 30 minutes.

Stir the hot sauce into the chili and season with salt. Add some beef broth if the chili is too thick. Ladle into bowls and top with the crumbled bacon, cheese, scallions and/or sour cream.

 

 

Two Meat Chili

• 2 1/2 lbs. beef chuck, cut into 1 inch cubes
• 2 1/2 lbs. pork shoulder, cut into 1 inch cubes
• 1 tbsp. kosher salt plus more to taste
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1/3 to 1/2 c. olive oil
• 2 large Spanish onions, chopped
• 10 large cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 c. New Mexico red chile powder
• 2 tbsp. ancho chile powder
• 1 tbsp. ground cumin
• 2 tsp. oregano, crushed (preferably Mexican)
• 6 c. beef or chicken broth, homemade or packaged)
• Two 15 1/2-oz. cans pinto beans, drained and rinsed

Serving suggestions: White rice, sour cream, chopped cilantro (fresh coriander), shredded cheddar, minced fresh or pickled jalapeno peppers

 

 

Pat the meat dry with a paper towel and season with the salt and pepper. Heat two tablespoons of the oil in a large stew pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sear the meat, in small batches, until well browned, adding more oil to the pan if needed. Transfer meat to a bowl and reserve.

Discard all but two tablespoons of the oil from the pan. Sauté the onions over medium heat for 10 minutes, scraping up the browned bits with a wooden spoon from the bottom of the pan. Add the garlic and sauté for two minutes more. Stir in the chili powders, cumin, and oregano and cook for two minutes. Whisk in five cups of the stock. Add the meat and any accumulated juices to the pot. Bring to a gentle simmer. Season the chili with salt and pepper to taste, and stew the meat with a cover slightly ajar until almost tender, about three hours.

In a food processor or blender, puree half of the beans with the remaining stock. Add the bean mixture to the chili along with the whole beans. Simmer for one hour more or until the meat is tender. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve with rice and selections of condiments, like sour cream, chopped cilantro, shredded cheddar, minced fresh or sliced pickled jalapenos.

Slow Cooker Chicken Chili

• 2 lbs. ground chicken, coarsely ground preferred
• 3 tbsp. chili powder, plus 2 tsp.
• 1 (15-oz.) can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 (15-oz.) can white beans, drained and rinsed
• 2 (28-oz.) cans diced fire roasted tomatoes
• 1 medium sweet potato (about 10 oz.), peeled and shredded
• 1 (15-oz.) can low-sodium chicken broth
• 1/4 c. instant tapioca (recommended: Minute tapioca)
• 1 to 2 chipotle chiles in adobo sauce with seeds, chopped
• 2 tbsp. soy sauce
• 1 tbsp. kosher salt
• 1 tbsp. onion powder
• 2 tsp. granulated garlic
• 1 tsp. dried oregano
• 1 tsp. ground cumin
• 1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
• Pinch ground cloves
• 1/2 to 3/4 c. lager-style beer, optional

Toppings: Sour cream, shredded Cheddar or Jack cheese, chopped scallions, and chopped pickled jalapenos

Put the chicken in the slow cooker. Add three tablespoons of the chili powder and all the rest of the ingredients, except the beer. Stir everything together, cover, and cook on low for 6-8 hours.

Just before serving, stir in the remaining two teaspoons of chili powder, the beer, if using, and season with more salt and pepper, to taste, if desired. Divide the chili among warm bowls. Serve with the topping of your choice.