CHASE THE CHILL WITH THIS CHILI

There's Chili and then there's chili. Much of the experience depends on how the meat is cut. People tend to think chili is made with ground beef . Authentic chili depending on the region is made with minced meat or for convenience as well as texture , a sausage grind. You might ask why we are talking about Mexican food over on Arthur Avenue. We have a large  demographic of Mexicans and  Mexican Restaurants in the area who contribute admirably to the food fest which is the heart and soul of the  'hood. Back to the Chili. You can ask your Butcher to mince your beef, but he probably won't. It is tedious work to be sure.I don't do it or ask anyone else to perform that task. Instead  I hop over to Modern Market and purchase "chili grind" beef. It was a very fresh coarse grind  with a nice red color indicating its lean character. Modern Market is best known for their meat and produce, and the chili beef was no exception. The quality and price were beyond compare. Not only was there no fat to drain off, but I actually had to add some olive oil to brown it; a bargain at $4.49. I usually start the beef on a very low flame until it renders enough fat to raise the flame and start the browning process.  The meat browned beautifully and retained  the chunky texture even with the long slow cooking. I am a firm believer in Crock Pot cookery. I don't use it for everything, but there are many recipes that I wouldn't dream of taking stove top. Chili is one of those recipes. Things that require long, slow cooking such as soups or stews are the likely candidates. This recipe is a little different because it is made with an assortment of legumes . It is economical and  makes a big batch of a much healthier alternative to traditional chili. We always serve this with brown rice . Make sure you plan enough for leftovers. It makes  a great Taco or Burrito filling and spectacular Nacho plate.

THE MEAT
2 pounds of lean beef minced or coarse grind

THE HEAT;  a matter of personal taste
1 Jalapeno seeded and minced
1 Tablespoon of chili powder
1 Tablespoon of Cumin
1 Tablespoon of Worcestershire
1 tablespoon of oregano

THE VEGGIES
1 extra large onion chopped ; we like this in small pieces.
2 finely minced celery stalks with leaves
2 carrots coarsely shredded
1 cup of diced bell pepper, your choice of color or mixed
1 large can of diced tomato in juice or puree; you can substitute any style. We use Italian  and prefer the chunks.
10-12 cloves of garlic minced but reserve 4 for pressing
A couple of sprigs of cilantro

THE BEANS

We like to use dried beans cooked in advance
You can use canned beans but be aware of the salt content, and you should probably drain and rinse canned beans. We only add salt if necessary , and always at the table individually.You can use any combo  of beans that you like , Sometimes we add black, navy or white, but always add the lentils as they add even more meat texture.
s1 cup of Dark Red  or Pink beans
1 cup of Roman beans
1 cup of Italian lentils or split Indian style legumes such as red, black  or green Dal

Olive Oil

Heat the oil and brown the meat well on high, keep stirring so that the liquid evaporates quickly.
When browned to your liking , remove with a slotted spoon. To the same pan , leaving the fat there, add the onion, celery, 8 cloves of garlic,  and bell pepper. Cook , stirring until wilted. Remove with a slotted spoon and add to the meat. Drain the tomatoes , reserving juices. Add the chunky tomato to the pan and cook about 5 minutes. Add 2 cups of water , or light beef broth. Turn off the gas and add the lentils and vinegar. Cover and let sit about 15 minutes. Meanwhile , add the cumin, chili powder, and Worcestershire to the meat mixture. Gently add the beans. Check the lentil/tomato mix . If it is dry, add a little more water . Place all the ingredients in a large Crock Pot . Add the cilantro and shredded carrots. Add the reserved tomato juices and  jalapeno.Turn the pot on high for an hour. Then turn it down to low and cook 6-8 hours. When using a Crock Pot, you may end up with more liquid than you put in, which in this case is great. If you find that during cooking you need more liquid , just add some more broth, tomato juice, or even water. You may need to adjust seasoning at the end as long cooking can reduce the intensity.We usually add more cumin at the end. When the time is up, add 2 cloves of pressed garlic and the oregano. Add a  spoon or 2 of minced cilantro leaves. Serve with rice . Cool your leftovers and freeze.

Options :
Want more veggies ? We tried  adding corn and yams ; it was really good.
We have also prepared this w/o the rice , serving it with grilled corn tacos using a cast iron griddle .
The ultimate rib sticker in cold weather is serving this with coarse grain corn pancakes !


Accompaniments :
We like it topped with a dollop of yogurt mixes with chopped scallions.
Green salad with red onion and orange wedges dresses with olive oil and OJ.
Avocado and tomato salad dressed with olive oil, salt, coarse black pepper.