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February 2008

Product Reviews / Main Nibbles / Meat & Poultry

Recipe: Beef Chili

No Beans, But Lots Of Spice

How do you make a beef chili recipe stand out? With great seasonings. This one, courtesy of Boston caterer Sebastians, uses a palette of seasonings to create a rich, complex flavor. The other secret is to use fresh spices. If that jar of cayenne has been on your shelf for three years, it won’t do your recipe much good. Before you cook anything using dried herbs and spices, take a look at these tips on checking your spices for freshness.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 onions, peeled and diced fine
• 5 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
• 2 pounds ground beef, coarse grind
• 4 cups beef broth
• 4 cups tomato sauce (your favorite recipe)
• 1 teaspoon allspice
• 3 tablespoons chili powder
• ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons water
• ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
• 2½ tablespoons cider vinegar
• 2½ tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
• Kosher salt, to taste
• Coarsely ground pepper, to taste
• Spaghetti (cooked according to package instructions)
• Cheddar cheese, shredded

Preparation

1. In large cooking pot, sauté onions and garlic in olive oil until onions have softened. Remove onion mixture from pot and set aside.

2. In same cooking pot add the ground beef, cook and drain. Return onion and garlic to the cooking pot and add beef broth, tomato sauce and allspice. Cook over low heat for 30 minutes.

3. In a small bowl, make a thin paste with the chili powder, cayenne pepper, cumin, flour and 2 tablespoons water. Add to the beef mixture and stir well. Add ground cloves, vinegar, and cocoa mixed with a ½ tablespoon oil, salt and pepper.  Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for at least 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Add more water if chili becomes too thick and begins to stick to bottom of the pot.

4. To serve:  Ladle over cooked spaghetti pasta and top with shredded cheese and chopped onions.

Makes 10 servings.

Recipe © Sebastians Cafe & Catering. All rights reserved. All other material Lifestyle Direct, Inc. All rights reserved. Images are the property of their respective owners.