Thursday, February 11, 2010

Nigella's Chorizo Quick Chili


Chili is divine. I'm actually quite surprised that in the two years forgottheeggs has existed, a chili recipe hasn't been posted. It's one of my favorite dishes to make, not only because it is a wonderful melange of flavors and super easy to make, but because it keeps well... very well. I've been eating chili for the past three weeks, and everytime I make it (approximately once a week), I divy the stock pot contents into tupperwares for the refridgerator and freezer and eat for days. Amazing. Especially if you're a busy student with a strict budget.

My friend Dan popped into my flat for dinner a few weeks ago, and as we were absolutely famished, we decided to go for something hot, quick, and fully satiating. (no pun intended)

Dan found this recipe in Nigella Lawson's "Nigella Express" book, and after making a few minor adjustments to the recipe, we skipped off to the grocery store and gathered ingredients and some hearty bread for dipping.

Ingredients

1 large yellow onion, roughly chopped
3 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
1 large bell pepper, roughly chopped (orange is perfect for this recipe)
2 cans of diced tomatoes
2 cans of beans of your choice, drained (I prefer black and kidney)
400 grams lean ground beef
150 grams uncooked chorizo, chopped into bite sized pieces (this is spicy!)
cumin
cinnamon
paprika
chili powder or flakes
ground cardamom
salt
fresh cilantro (coriander in europe) for garnish
sour cream or greek yogurt for garnish
your choice of rice or hearty bread

On medium heat, warm a generous serving of olive oil in a large stock pot. Add onions, bell pepper, and garlic and saute for about five minutes. When the onions are soft and translucent and the pepper looks like its warming up, add the chorizo. Cook the chorizo until a reddish-orange liquid starts to coat the pot. Next, add the ground beef with a sprinkle of salt, and paprika. Let it brown. When the beef looks cooked through, add the two cans of tomatoes (with the juice!) and bring up the heat to medium-high so that the chili can simmer. Add cardamom, chili powder, paprika, and more salt. There is no standard quantity for seasoning, so use your judgement and feel free to taste the concoction as its brewing. After about 10 minutes on a simmer, add the drained cans of beans and let simmer again. Technically, after 20 minutes, the chili could be eaten, but it's best to hold on for at least 30 minutes so that the flavors get a chance to marry.

When your tastebuds approve, remove from heat and spoon into deep bowls. I like to add a dollop of greek yogurt and sprinkle of freshly chopped cilantro. Dan hasn't been eating rice, so we opted for some toasted slices of hearty bread.
It was deeeelicious!

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