Chili con Carne

This recipe is as easy and as fast as you want to make it. We originally got it from a magazine, but forgot the original instructions before we finished reading them. Where we are from you eat rice with beans, but other places seem to conceive of bread or crackers as the adequate companion to chili. Here is what you need for the basic recipe and then what we do.

1 lb ground lean beef (96/4 is the best)

1 can diced tomatoes

1 bell pepper

1 medium size onion (or assortment of various onions)

1 (more or less) chile (manzano, roccotto, habanero, you choose) (optional)

1 or 2 garlic cloves

½ lb black or pinto beans (or a can or two if you are a wimp)

Salt, Pepper, Worcester sauce, Soy sauce, vinegar of any type (although balsamic is good because it is sweet), and, most importantly, cumin.

In a large sauté pan brown the ground beef. If you are using really lean beef it will look quite dry, but if your beef has a lot of fat you might want to strain it from the pan. As you are cooking the meat take a large bowl and start mixing in the liquids. We have not set proportion here, but we always start with Worcester sauce (I’ll try to measure next time) then we add a little soy sauce, vinegar, and if we have it some red wine. Once you have about a third of the bowl full stop and add the cumin. Start with only a teaspoon and see if you need more later. You can also add black pepper. Balsamic vinegar is sweet and will give your Chili a nice contrasting taste.

Once the meet is brown, put it in the bowl with the liquid, mix it around and then forget about it for a while.

Dice onion and bell pepper. Some people like them diced small, but we prefer big chunky pieces. Garlic we chop into oblivion. Clean the sauté pan and then put it back on the burner with some canola oil. Once it’s hot, sauté the onions and peppers for a few minutes, then put in the garlic and chili. Two or three more minutes and you can add the tomatoes and beans. We sometimes include frozen or canned corn just for color. Simmer at medium low for ten to twenty minutes and you’re done!