answer: cold and sad, utterly disastrous
Luckily, in my house, winter does not pass without at least one chili instance [but, you can usually count on multiple]. It's true, chili is delicious and incredibly simple to make, but that's not why I make it.
No, I make it because chili is the ultimate in finger & toe warming goodness.
I also love chili because it has no set recipe and it doesn't require fresh or perfect produce. You can use canned tomatoes, frozen veggies, or those peppers that are beginning to get too wrinkly for salad but are otherwise fine. Thus, since winter is not prime produce time it is prime chili cookin' time.
Chili. The ultimate garbage can meal...in the best way.
Winter. The perfect excuse for making chili.
I prefer my chili to be chunky, so I tend to use a course chop. However, some people like finer pieces and a soupier consistency. This, too, makes for great chili. Topped with some grated cheese and yogurt/sour cream, chili is the meal candidate when the temperatures are in the single digits and major league soul-warming is necessary.
To make this into the ultimate meal, however, chili should be paired with a hearty chunk of cornbread. I like to break my cornbread up into pieces and put it in my chili or slather it with some butter and eat it when it's still warm from the oven.
Today's Menu:
Sweet Relief Chili
Cheesy Sage Cornbread
As I mentioned, chili needs no set recipe. However, some people don't work like that and they feel much better when it's all laid out for them. So, here i'll give a recipe for a "version" I've been working on lately.
Many chili recipes call for potatoes, which is great, but I wanted to give my old school chili a kick in the pants. Consequently, I replaced potatoes with some butternut squash [using both would be fine, too]--I just love the texture and sweetness of the squash, especially in contrast to the bit of heat from the spices.
Cornbread batter is also a versatile medium to work with--you can make it sweet or savory or both! The cheese and buttermilk in this recipe keep it moist, which is a problem with many cornbread recipes.This makes for a nice crusty outside and tender inner crumb that soaks up the chili broth without falling completely to bits.
Sweet Relief Chili
[note: this is pretty much a vegetarian chili, but meat/poultry can always been used. just brown some ground beef/turkey/chicken/pork, then take it out and drain it while you cook the vegetables. add it back to the pot when you add the broth. you can also replace/combine the black beans for/with another type of bean]
1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
2 small-medium carrots, sliced into rounds
1 stalk celery, sliced into crescents
1 butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch dice
1 red, orange, or yellow bell pepper, cut into 1/2-inch dice
2 medium tomatoes, diced or 1 14-oz can diced tomatoes
2 c prepared [hydrated] dry black beans or 1 14-oz can black beans
1 tsp oregano
1/2 tbsp cumin
1 tsp sweet paprika
1 tsp cayenne, or more to taste
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes, or more to taste
salt
pepper
2 c chicken or vegetable stock
a handful of parsley, roughly chopped
olive oil
grated cheese
yogurt or sour cream
directions:
1. heat some oil in a large pot. add garlic and onion, turn heat to medium-high, and saute until onions are translucent.
2. add carrots, celery, pepper and butternut squash. continue to cook until carrots and celery are tender.
3. add spices and cook 30 seconds - 1 minute. add stock and bring to a boil. cover, lower heat to a simmer, and let cook until squash is tender. if you prefer less liquid you can continue to boil until it's reached the desired consistency.
4. taste for spices and add more if desired. turn off the heat and stir in fresh parsley. serve with cheese and yogurt or sour cream.
Cheesy Sage Cornbread
[note: this recipe was adapted from the one found in Bon Appetit, December 2002. if you don't have buttermilk, check out the substitution here]
1/2 c all purpose flour
1/2 c yellow cornmeal
1/8 c sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 c extra-sharp cheddar cheese, coarsely grated
6 sage leaves, coarsely chopped
1/2 c buttermilk
1 large egg
2 tbsp butter, melted and cooled slightly
directions:
1. in a medium bowl whisk together flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. mix in cheese and sage.
2. in a small bowl, whisk together buttermilk, egg and melted butter. add to dry ingredients and mix together until just incorporated. be careful not to overmix.
3. cook at 400F until top is golden and a tester comes out clean.
winter can't chill me cause i've got chili!
Comments, questions, and recipe alterations are always more than welcome.
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