Share your favorite recipes ~ CHILI & STEW

[Lucinda]

Thought i'd get this one in while the weather is still cold and perfect for chili and stews.

Please post your favorite recipes, original or otherwise, ideas, tips etc.

[Tangerine LaBamba]

1. Brunswick Stew

Living in the South, I discovered this dish. Normally, I'm not fond of strew, which I regard as overcooked meat and vegetables in an unremarkable liquid - it all seems like pot roast to me.

But, this dish, which I am told was originally made with squirrel, got me hooked when I tried it in a local restaurant, which has since, alas, gone out of business. The owner was a client, and let me hang in the kitchen one day to watch the chef put it together.

All measurement goes out the window, sorry.

First, you white-cook a good-sized (4 lbs) stewing chicken. When it's done, you strip the meat, set aside.

Boil down the stock until there's about a quart left.

Into the quart, you throw a few peeled, quartered potatoes. Let them simmer for about ten minutes.

Then, add a can of chopped tomatoes, some frozen lima beans, and a good two cups of chopped onions.

Simmer until the limas are tender.

Add three big cans of corn and the reserved chicken. Kosher salt (he said it was the only salt to use when cooking, and I've always used it since then), black pepper to taste - a good teaspoon of sugar, a shaking of oregano, a shaking of sage (both dried), and a pinch of cayenne.

Let it all simmer until completely heated through and nice and hot.

[Lucinda]

3. I really want to try this while it's still nice and cool outside!

Sounds delish. :)

[BamaGirl]

4. We all do it different lol

In addition to what you have, I use okra, cream corn, bbq'ed and shredded pork and chicken, green beans, diced tomatoes, Worchester sauce, BBQ sauce, and chili pepper. Sometimes some Tobasco. It really takes two days to make my ggrandmother's Brunswick Stew, so I make a huge batch of it so I can freeze it. It's awesome stuff, and I really think of it as a summer stew,(all those 4th's when we had it, I guess lol), but now I'm craving some. Damn. I know better than to wander into C&B!! :D

[Tangerine LaBamba]

8. Every Southern cook

has his or her own recipe, and they're all GREAT! Yours is downright inspirational!

I love the idea of adding hot sauce - it's a very mild-tasting dish - and creamed corn. But, really, I've thrown in all sorts of whatever was in the refrigerator when I fixed this. Now that I think of it, I've got a nice mess of cooked chicken in the freezer (thanks to the smart folks here who assured me I could freeze cooked chicken), and I've got frozen limas, and I've got canned corn, and you know what?

There's gonna be some seriously good Brunswick Stew here next week.

I've thrown in diced sweet and white potatoes, and they were really good. And green beans, come to think of it.

Thank you for the expansive idea. Gonna be some good eatin' around here, if I ever get it together.....................

:toast:

[Lucinda]

2. Bill's Chili

We don't use a lot of commercial canned foods in our cooking, but we make an exception with Bush and Red Gold products. Not sure if you can find Red Gold where you live, but they make the best ketchup i've ever tasted, and the rest of their products are great.


Bill's Chili

1 - 27oz can Bush's Best Chili Beans - Mild Sauce
1 - 16oz can Bush's Seasoned Recipe Dark Red Kidney Beans
1 - 14.5 oz can - Red Gold Diced Tomatoes - Chili Ready
1 - 10 oz can - Red Gold Petite Diced Tomato and Green Chili (Rotel would be a good sub)
1 onion - diced
1 pound beef (1 1/2 pound is even better though!) Chuck - tip roasts etc. We buy what's on sale.
Water
Cumin
Garlic Powder
3 tablespoons Chili Powder*
Black Pepper
Chopped garlic
Olive Oil
Butter

1 - Heat olive oil and butter in a stock pot while you chop onions - just enough to saute the onions and beef
2 - Add onions and cook until translucent while you
3 - Chop the beef in to your preferred size. I use my kitchen shears and make fairly small pieces, about kidney bean size
4 - Add meat, garlic powder and pepper (plus a little salt if you like) and saute to get a little color (I usually cook it for just a little longer than it takes to get the can opener out, and open all the cans, while dodging meowing cats who think it's something for them)
5 - Open cans and dump into the sauteed onion and beef.
6 - Add water - I use the large 27oz Chili bean can - and may add extra if it's looking like it needs it, and chili powder, cumin and pepper to taste
7 - Bring up to a full hard simmer, and turn down low enough to keep the simmer going, without being a hard boil.
8 - I stir this every 20 minutes and keep adjusting the heat down, I want to keep it simmering as it thickens, without sticking to the pan or cooking too hard.
9 - Add chopped garlic about 1/2 hour before you want to serve it
10 - This can be ready in an hour or can simmer away for three, it depends on how fast you want it. Bill cooks it faster, I cook it slower. Just stay with it if you go for a fast hard boil and keep it moving in the pot.


What you're looking for is a change in the liquid. When it's ready, it goes from a thin broth consistency to a thicker coating that stays on your spoon. You'll know it when you see it. It just LOOKS like chili when its ready. :)

This will make about 1/3 large stock pot. And it keeps beautifully.
* You may want to use more or less chili powder. I'd start with a tablespoon or so and see what amount does it for you!

[alfredo]

5. My wife makes it real thick. She adds red wine or red wine vinegar.

I either put hickory smoked baby back ribs or smoked brats in mine. Chunks of dark meat of a chicken or pork works too. I like cooking it on my Weber, my wife does it in a big iron skillet. both like a lot of garlic.

Had a Canadian girlfriend who put heavy cream and ginger in hers.

[Lucinda]

11. We cook a lot in cast iron. Love the stuff.

Heavy cream and ginger are really different!

[alfredo]

12. It was tasty. The cream was like putting cheese in it. The Ginger was

probably for the beef and maybe to counter the effects of the hot peppers. It was a mild but rich chili.

[Lucinda]

13. Ahhh...that makes sense.

I didn't think about how great ginger and beef are together.

[alfredo]

14. I don't remember how prominent the ginger was, but the chili was

a nice pink color. She called it Pink Chili

[Phentex]

6. Chicken stew with Tomatoes and White Beans...STOLEN...

I stole this from mtnester who posted it here in C&B. :)

I also add fresh spinach to it at the end and have served it over pasta as well. Sometimes I take the chicken off the bone before returning it to the stew. My kids love this stew!

Chicken Stew with Tomatoes and White Beans

4 bacon slices, chopped
6 chicken thighs with skin and bones (about 2 1/2 pounds)
All purpose flour
1 large onion, chopped (about 2 cups)
5 garlic cloves, minced
2 14 1/2-ounce cans stewed tomatoes
1 14 1/2-ounce can low-salt chicken broth
3/4 cup dry red wine
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil
1 tablespoon dried oregano
2 15-ounce cans cannellini (white kidney beans), drained


Cook chopped bacon in heavy large pot over medium-high heat until crisp. Using slotted spoon, transfer bacon to paper towel. Sprinkle chicken thighs with salt and pepper. Dredge chicken in flour, shaking off excess. Add to drippings in pot and sauté until brown, about 3 minutes per side. Using slotted spoon, transfer chicken to large bowl. Pour off all but 2 tablespoons drippings from pot. Add chopped onion and minced garlic to pot; sauté 4 minutes. Add bacon, stewed tomatoes, chicken broth, red wine, basil and oregano. Bring to boil, scraping up browned bits. Return chicken and any accumulated juices to pot. Cover and simmer until chicken is cooked through, about 20 minutes. Add cannellini; simmer 10 minutes longer. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Makes 4 to 6 servings.
Bon Appetit 1999


Original thread: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=236&topic_id=31602

[Lucinda]

9. LOL Thanks for posting it in here!

Someone posted a gorgeous sounding squash soup a while back and I'm trying to figure out who and where so I can steal in and post it in the soup section. Great minds think alike. :D

[cbayer]

7. Grillades and grits.

I am not sure this really counts as "stew", but it is one of my most favorite New Orleans dishes.

Grillades
Makes about 10 servings

4 pounds boneless beef or veal round steak, about ¼-inch thick
1 tablespoon salt
1 teaspoon cayenne
½ teaspoon black pepper
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ cup all-purpose flour
½ cup vegetable oil
3 medium-size yellow onions, chopped
2 medium-size green bell peppers, chopped
3 ribs celery, chopped
3 cups whole canned tomatoes, crushed with their juice
2 cups beef broth
½ cup dry red wine
2 bay leaves
½ teaspoon dried tarragon leaves
½ teaspoon dried basil leaves
½ cup finely chopped green onions
3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley leaves

Remove any fat from the beef or veal. Cut into 2-inch squares. Combine the salt, cayenne, black pepper and garlic in a small bowl. Have the flour at hand.

Lay several pieces of the meat on a cutting board and sprinkle with the seasoning mix and a little of the flour. With a meat mallet, pound each piece of meat until slightly flattened. Flip the pieces over and repeat the process. Do this with the rest of the meat. In a large, heavy pot, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the meat, several pieces at a time and brown evenly on both sides. As the meat cooks, transfer it to a platter. When all the meat is browned, return it to the pot. Add the onions, bell peppers and celery and cook, stirring, until the vegetables are soft and golden, eight to 10 minutes.

Add the tomatoes and their liquid and reduce the heat to medium-low. Add the broth, wine, bay leaves, tarragon and basil. Stir to mix and simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally. Cook until the meat is very tender, about 1 ½ hours. If the mixture becomes dry, add a little water or more broth. When ready to serve, add the green onions and parsley. Serve with baked grits.

Baked cheese grits
Makes 10 to 12 servings
2 cups yellow grits, cooked according to package directions
3 large eggs, slightly beaten
½ pound grated cheddar cheese
1 cup milk
1 stick butter
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

After the grits are cooked, add the eggs, cheese, milk and butter and stir until all is blended and the cheese and butter are completely melted. Season with salt and pepper. Pour the mixture into a two-quart baking dish and bake at 350 degrees for about 45 minutes.

[Lucinda]

10. This sounds really great.

:hi: Some things ARE hard to categorize. Bill's chili could be soup if you thin it down. LOL

[JeffR]

15. What a great thread!

I'm no cook, but I make this occasionally and I'm pretty happy with it. Purists would justifiably claim "That ain't chili" but it's pretty good. I haven't had red meat for almost 20 years, so I make chili this way:

- 1 to 1 1/2 pounds ground turkey
- two cans of kidney beans, w/ liquid from one can only
- two large cans of tomatoes (preferably plum tomatoes), w/ liquid from one can only
- 1/3 large onion, minced (Vidalia, preferably)

to taste:
- chili powder
- ground cumin
- crushed garlic cloves or garlic powder
- black pepper
- caynne
- salt
- 6 ounces or so of a decent India pale ale (a can of non-alcoholic beer will do in a pinch, but it's not as good)
- oregano
- Louisiana hot sauce

Brown the turkey while throwing everything else (except the beer) into a large pot and heating on medium.

When the turkey is done, drain carefully and add to the rest.

Simmer on low heat, uncovered, for about 4 hours. Add the beer incrementally, taste continuously and add more spices as needed.

Eat way too much. Foolproof. Sometimes I substitute a can of black beans and a can of white beans for the kidney beans. Not a bad variation.

[Lucinda]

18. That sounds really good! I dont think I've ever added a pale ale before

Will add this one to my "try it soon: list!

[eridani]

16. Borgracs Gulyas

2 tablespoons butter (or lard or margarine)
2 small or one large onion, chopped.
3 tablespoons sweet Hungarian paprika (Hungarian really makes a difference here)
2 cloves finely chopped garlic
1-2 lbs stew or kabob meat
1 teaspoon caraway seeds
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground pepper
2-4 cups beef or chicken stock (water can be substituted-total volumn ~4 cups)
3 small or 2 medium boiling potatoes, cubed (1 to 1 ½ inch)
1 lb tomatoes, peeled, seeded, diced (or one 28 oz can diced tomatoes—15 oz would probably do in a pinch)
2 medium sized green peppers, deseeded, deribbed and chopped
1 teaspoon marjoram

Heat the butter in a 5 qt heavy Dutch oven or saucepan, add onions and garlic. Cook until lightly colored. Add paprika and coat the onions. Add beef and brown it, then caraway seeds. Add stock, salt and pepper.

Bring to a boil and partially cover the pan and simmer gently for 45 min hour. Add tomatoes, peppers, potatoes and marjoram, and cook over medium heat partially for another hour until potatoes are done. Remove the lid for the last 30 min to let the sauce thicken.

[Lucinda]

19. I'd make this one just for the great name! But I'm really intrigued

with the caraway seeds. I love caraway. Can't wait to try this!

[eridani]

23. Use the Hungarian paprika--that and the caraway really make the dish n/t

[Callalily]

17. Chili recipe.

This is my all-time favorite chili recipe.

All American Chili

Yield

8 servings (serving size: 1 1/4 cups chili and 1 tablespoon cheese)
Ingredients

* 6 ounces hot turkey Italian sausage
* 2 cups chopped onion
* 1 cup chopped green bell pepper
* 8 garlic cloves, minced
* 1 pound ground sirloin
* 1 jalapeño pepper, chopped
* 2 tablespoons chili powder
* 2 tablespoons brown sugar
* 1 tablespoon ground cumin
* 3 tablespoons tomato paste
* 1 teaspoon dried oregano
* 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 2 bay leaves
* 1 1/4 cups Merlot or other fruity red wine
* 2 (28-ounce) cans whole tomatoes, undrained and coarsely chopped
* 2 (15-ounce) cans kidney beans, drained
* 1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded reduced-fat sharp cheddar cheese

Preparation

Heat a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Remove casings from sausage. Add sausage, onion, and the next 4 ingredients (onion through jalapeño) to pan; cook 8 minutes or until sausage and beef are browned, stirring to crumble.

Add chili powder and the next 7 ingredients (chili powder through bay leaves), and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Stir in wine, tomatoes, and kidney beans; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 1 hour, stirring occasionally.

Uncover and cook for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Discard the bay leaves. Sprinkle each serving with cheddar cheese.

Note: Like most chilis, this version tastes even better the next day.

I also like to add smoked Spanish paprika when I want that wonderful smoky flavor

Edit: from Cooking Light Magazine

[Lucinda]

20. Looks delicious! I'm glad there is still enough cold weather ahead

to test these! I should have started this thread last month! I like the idea of the brown sugar with the sausage. A little sweet and spicy is a good thing.

[htuttle]

21. A couple of months ago, I picked up an amazing tip from one of the chili threads here

Changed how I make chili forever.

The secret ingredient? Add 1 - 1/2 tablespoons of unsweetened cocoa before the long simmer. It doesn't really make it taste 'chocolaty', just better or 'deeper' somehow. Makes it darker, too.

The hotter the chili is, the better it works. I also add fresh cilantro right at the end, and the two flavors together along with the peppers (and the garlic and onions in the background) is amazing...

Lately, I've been starting the pot with some diced bacon and then crushed chipotles with the onions to get a smoky undertone in there, too.

on edit:
Here's the thread where I read the cocoa tip (from Warpy's post):
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=236&topic_id=49398#49398

[Lucinda]

22. Great suggestions!

I'll try the cocoa and also the bacon and chipotles soon!
And thanks for linking the thread!