Hot or mild, full of beans or bean-less, vegetarian or replete with myriad meats, chili is a truly American dish. It’s generally agreed upon by food historians to have been created in Texas (the first written mention to chili happened in San Antonio in 1828) and is a blend of Native American, Mexican, and Spanish cuisines.
Feb. 23 was National Chili Day, so to honor it (albeit belatedly), below is a traditional (and delicious) meaty chili recipe that despite the number of spices, is of medium heat level.
LG’s 9-Spice Black Bean Chili
Recipe Courtesy Digital Imaging Specialist Lauren Golde, winner of the Westchester Magazine 2017 Office Chili Cookoff
(Serves 8-10)
Ingredients:
2 1/2 Tbsp brown sugar
4 Tbsp chili powder
1 Tbsp paprika
3 tsp ground coriander
3 tsp ground cumin
1 1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (can add a pinch more if you want more heat)
1 1/2 tsp onion powder
1 1/2 tsp smoked salt
2 roasted Poblano peppers
olive oil
4 Tbsp. minced garlic
1 large red onion
2 jalapeños, diced
4 Tbsp. sofrito
2 Tbsp tomato paste
About 3 lbs of ground meatloaf mix (beef, pork, veal)
1/2 Tbsp Ketchup
28 oz can of diced tomatoes
14 oz can of diced tomatoes
15.5 oz can of black beans
Preparation:
1) In bowl, combine first 9 ingredients (spices).
2) Roast Poblano peppers under broiler for about 2-3 minutes per side until skin starts to char. Set aside.
3) Heat oil on medium flame in a pot and sauté garlic, red onion, and jalapeños until soft. Mix in sofrito and tomato paste and cook through, about 2-3 minutes. Add ground meatloaf mix to pot and cook until meat is half done, and then add chopped Poblano peppers and spices. Cook until meat is no longer pink.
4) Turn heat to low and add ketchup, diced tomatoes, and black beans. Cook for 1 hour on low, stirring occasionally.