Chef Jaime's Chile

Ingredients:

3 strips raw bacon

1 nice pat of butter 2 tablespoons

1 large yellow onion chopped 1 cup

4 cloves chopped garlic 2 tablespoons

1 small chopped and seeded jalape¿o pepper

1.5 lbs lean ground beef

1 tablespoon Chile powder

1 tablespoon Oregano

1 teaspoon ground cumin

2 teaspoons smoked paprika

1 teaspoon onion powder

3/4 teaspoon ground pepper

3/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1 small 7 oz chipotle pepper in adobo I love the Embasa brand. I use 2-3 depending on the heat I want add more for more heat.

2 cups good beef stock (adjust if needed)

1-15 oz can dark red kidney beans rinsed

1-15 oz can black beans rinsed

1-15 oz can chopped tomatoes (fire roasted)

1 16 oz bag frozen white sweet corn (thawed)

1/4 cup tomato paste

 

Secret ingredient:

1 heaping tablespoon good quality cocoa powder.

I also love to add butternut squash and cauliflower to this recipe.

 

Method:

I like to use a nice cast iron pot for Chili.

First add your bacon with a pat of butter and get that going in your pan over med to high heat.

Add your onions, chopped garlic and diced jalape¿o pepper and get that sweating and translucent. Go for a light golden color.

Now add all your spices and let them come to life and bloom on your pot until you can smell their fragrance.

Next I add my chipotle peppers with some of the adobo sauce from the cab if you like it really spicy add more chipotle. I like it mild.

Add in your ground beef and get it all browned but not fully cooked through.

Add your tomato paste and give it a minute or two to cook through.

Add your chopped peppers and allow them to become soft.

Now add your stock and  chopped tomatoes.

Let that cook for 5 minutes. Drop it down to a simmer.

Add your sweet corn and cocoa powder  and simmer covered for 30-40 mins on low.

I love to serve my Chile with fresh cornbread sour cream melted cheddar cheese and very fresh cilantro.

 

Corn muffins

1 1/2 cups yellow corn meal

1 cup all purpose floor

1/4 cup sugar

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp baking soda

1 cup buttermilk

1/4 cup veg oil

1 egg

I've added saut¿ed bell pepper and onion and grated cheddar to this a few times and they are yummy.

Preheat oven 400

Prepare 12 muffin cups with liners or non stick cooking spray

Pour the liquid ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix until blended here is where you can add the cheese and peppers I talked about.

Let the mixture rest for 5 minutes and fill the cups 1/2 way to 3/4

Bake for 15 minutes or until tops are browned and risen.

Enjoy and happy Chile day!