Short Rib Boeuf Bourguignon Chili

 short rib BOEUF BOURGUIGNON chili // un ragoût TEX-MEXICAIN

Last weekend, I took part in my first ever chili cook-off.  My first cooking competition ever, really.  Garrett's the big chili maker between the two of us, but I quickly commandeered the process as soon as my wheels started turning in the direction of frenchifying the thing.  This didn't start as a boeuf bourguignon fusion project, and, in fact, I've never tried to make boeuf bourguignon, so I had no frame of reference for the dish besides a general understanding that it was beef braised in alcohol.  It was only after the fact that I realized by adding Tex-Mex ingredients to red wine braised beef we had concocted something Tex-Mexicaine.

So before I tell you more, let's start with a few honest confessions.  First, the chili took second place.  Tied for second place.  As an excuse, the winning chili was a really well done, but traditional recipe and I think when the masses speak, they speak for tradition.   Second, if you've never braised you ought to know it takes hours, so this is by no means your everyday chili.  But if you take it to your next chili cook-off and get good results, please, let me know.  Third, and again, if you've never braised before, prepare for the fat.  You can really remove quite a bit of the fat at the end of the cooking process, but you're going to be dealing with a lot of it.  And it's going to be delicious, as a result.

Back to the flavor, because despite those confessions I think this recipe is awesome and worth the effort.  The base flavor is smoky, and it would be worth it to go to a good butcher to get thick cut smoked bacon (in other words, avoid the packaged bacon at the grocery store).  In the next layer the red wine comes through, so make sure to use a French pinot noir (this does not need to be an expensive bottle, but does need to be French).  Finally, right in at the top you get the Mexican ingredients - the poblano, jalapeño, and spices.  Of course, the end result is rich with all that smoky winey-ness, so top it with freshly chopped onions and some cheese, but no need for sour cream.  

If you have the time, patience, and wherewithal, give it a try and tell me what you think.

Mole Rojo Chicken Soup

Mole is yet another dish that I've been meaning to make for quite some time.  To be honest, even for an adventurous cook the recipes I've tended to come across are intimidating, with long cook times and even longer lists of ingredients.  I suppose if you're going the highly authentic route, that is the price to pay (and kudos to you if you try).  So, let me be the first to admit that the recipe here will probably offend some who consider themselves mole purists, but the flavor of the dish could certainly fool me into thinking it took two days to make.

This recipe came about as a result of a quick stew I threw together at the end of last week, using up whatever I had left in the fridge - including some red peppers, chicken, black beans, spices, and dried pasilla peppers.  I applied a similar technique to making chicken chili as appears in tomatillo chicken chili post, which is essentially a vegetable base with beans blended in to add bulk.  To make a long story short, the smoky red stew came close enough to mole to make me think I'd nail it if only there was the element of chocolately richness.  So, I remade the red stew with the addition of unsweetened chocolate and tahini, and it worked.

Most of the mole rojos I've had are actually not as spicy as this recipe (which is equally spicy and rich/smoky), so if you want to imitate something you've had at a restaurant then eliminate the crushed red pepper flakes and cayenne pepper (and perhaps add even more chocolate).  Of course, while this is a soup/stew, you could easily eliminate the addition of extra chicken stock after blending the base and get a true mole sauce - which would be delicious for tacos or enchiladas.  I've indicated in the instructions where to stop if you want the mole sauce, rather than a stew.  

When all was said and done, I was pleasantly surprised by how easy (and healthy) this mole turned out.  I'm glad to have four frozen portions for lunch this week.

Summer Tofu Bibimbap

SUMMER TOFU BIBIMBAP 
W/ BARLEY

Well, its finally here - my first international trip of the summer begins tomorrow.  No, I'm not going anywhere near Asia, which is partially why I prepared Bibimbap for dinner.  

Now don't worry loyal followers, because I have two excellent posts scheduled to magically appear while I'm away for the next 13 days.  I'm going to try my best to write some fun content from the road as long as I can find access to good "wee fee" in those European one/two star hotels.  Barring any unruly behavior from my fellow travelers (my students) or any of the other potential European hold-up (flood, protest, mass strike, economic collapse, deathly heat wave, world war, student revolt, socialist uprising, art fair, Illuminati riff raff, auto de fé, etc., etc.) you'll be well taken care of.

So, a little about this Bibimbap.  Firstly, if you've never had a traditional Korean Bibimbap here's the story: rice bowl topped with little piles of spicy seared meat, various sautéed vegetables, and runny/raw egg all served up hot and stirred together moments before eating so the yolk coats everything and makes it delectable.  This version is vegetarian, for one, but also a little fresher and crisper for summer.  The vegetables are quickly pickled and served as cold accoutrements.  Finally, I used barley instead of rice, because I think the firmer texture complements the crisper vegetables.  

If you're looking for something spicy and hearty, but still healthy and fitting for a summer night, then here is the perfect meal for you.  Guten appetit/Buon appetito/En Guete/Bon appétit!

Tomatillo Chicken Chili

TOMATILLO CHICKEN CHILI (GREEN CHILI)

While I am all about perusing the web for cooking inspiration, most often I get inspired by others' work and make it my own given the ingredients and tools I commonly use.  However, what we have here is a bookmarked recipe that I've pulled up many times in the kitchen.  I make special trips to the grocery for poblanos and tomatillos for this one.

I like this Tomatillo Chicken Chili because it reminds me of the homey soups and stews of Latin America, but a bit lighter and crisper in flavor.  I love caldos*, sopes, pozoles, moles, and pepian**, and this recipe reminds me much more of those textures and flavors since the chicken is cooked in vegetables and pulled apart.  In other words, its nothing like traditional chili that is bean-y with ground meat.

chile & peru, 2008

lomo saltado, caldos, & cortados

pizzas/hamburguesas

me & bree

One thing I love about Chicago is that ingredients for any cuisine are plentiful, but authentic ingredients for Latino recipes are completely mainstream at the grocery.  Bodegas will carry anything you couldn't find elsewhere, and they are usually right next store to the bigger groceries, anyways.  While Wicker Park is a highly (or, overly) gentrified neighborhood, I'm happily placed on the outskirts where my Mexican neighbors' roosters wake me up in the summertime.  Its fantastic.  I would tell you about the market down the block that sells the absolute best tacos in the city from the back counter, but I simply can't bring myself to give it away.  I'm pretty sure it has something to do with getting very fresh meat from local roosters.

Garrett's Smoky Chili

So, its Saturday night and I'm posting on the blog.

I feel like I can get away with this barring the loss of much social capital.  Garrett got home form the office at 2:30 AM.  He's been rendering the graphic designs for a Saudi subway system, which required hours each week staring at aerial views of desert.  Also, hockey is up and running again.  I'm not going to suggest we leave the house.

But I will request that he make dinner.

Disclaimer: This is not the chili recipe you want if you intend to win any chili cook-offs.  There are no microbrews, coffees, or secret hot sauces involved.  It's just good chili done with lean ingredients and a smoky spice combination.