good old chilli con carne

It's been getting pretty frigid down here in Georgia which is somewhat unusual for this time of the year. This type of weather calls for something warm, rustic and comforting. Why a hot soup of course! The thing is though, I'm not a big soup guy. I enjoy its flavors and aromas but they just aren't filling enough for me to call it a meal. The next best alternative? Chili.

Here's the kicker though - I've never made chili before (until now). I love eating the stuff but I've never tried to make it. It's embarrasing really. Kids on campus that can't even fry an egg have made chili before! It was time for me to jump on the bandwagon after seeing Esther's version last week.

(the meez is tres important mes amis!)

I've been eyeing Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution for awhile now and I decided to test drive his chili recipe before deciding to buy the book. The book focuses on inspiring people to get back in the kitchen with easy, simple and tasty recipes. After you master a recipe, Jamie wants you to "pass it on" and teach someone else how to cook that dish. A great initiative to inspire people to cook and one that I'm hoping to participate in (as well as the Eat on $30 sometime in the future).

I thought his chili con carne recipe was pretty good and I'm pretty set on buying the book (after Ad Hoc and Momofuku) although I did make a couple adaptations. I like my chili on the spicier side so I added in some red chili flakes and one red chile. You may find the cinnamon in his recipe a bit odd but don't be afraid to add it in. It adds great warmth, earthiness and aroma to the chili.

Good Old Chilli con Carne

Adapted from Jamie Oliver, Serves 6

Ingredients:

- 2 medium onions, diced

- 2 cloves of garlic, minced

- 2 medium carrots, diced

- 2 sticks of celery, diced

- 2 red peppers, diced

- 1 red chili, diced

- 1 teaspoon red chili flakes

- 1 heaping teaspoon chili powder

- 1 heaping teaspoon ground cumin

- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

- 1 (400g) can chickpeas

- 1 (400g) can red kidney beans

- 1 (400g) can of water

- 1 (800g) can chopped tomatoes

- 1.25lbs ground chuck (can substitute with leaner beef)

- 2 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar

- a bunch of cilantro

1) This is a pretty basic recipe. In a hot pan, add a tablespoon of olive oil and brown the ground meat breaking it apart as you go. Once it's completely browned, about 5 minutes or so, remove to a plate but don't wash the pan.

2) Dice up all of your vegetables. Like Jamie says, it doesn't really matter if it looks perfect or if your technique is correct. Just don't chop off your finger and make sure they're diced. Wash the cilantro and set aside.

3) In the same pan over medium-high heat, add a couple tablespoons of olive oil and dump all of your vegetables in.

4) Add in all of the spices, season with salt/pepper and cook with the vegetables for about 7 minutes stirring every 30 seconds to prevent sticking. This will roast the spices and help intensify the flavors.

5) Drain the chickpeas and kidney beans and add them in after the 7 minutes. Add in the chopped tomatoes also (without draining).

6) Fill one of the bean cans with water and pour that into the pan as well.

7) Pick out the cilantro leaves for later and finely chop the washed cilantro stalks and stir them into the chili.

8) Add in the balsamic vinegar and season again with salt and pepper. Bring back up to a boil and simmer with the lid slightly askew for about an hour or until reduced. Stir every now and then to prevent sticking.

9) Eat by itself, with bread or serve over steamed rice. Garnish with cilantro leave if desired.