Chili Cook-off

[dedavis]

We are having a chili cook-off at work this coming week. I don't care about winning, but I would like to make something tasty for my colleagues. Does anybody have any special recipes? It doesn't have to be 4-alarm chili...

Deb

[Evelyn]

I always add green and black olives (whole) and garbanzo beans to my chili and I use some kind of spiced sausage instead of ground beef. The super secret ingredient is smoked, spanish paprika (aka pimenton de la vera)from the Spanish Table in Seattle. I could fedex you a couple tablespoons :)

Evelyn

[dedavis]

Well, I went ahead and made chili today. I think it tastes better the next day, or the second day. I used black beans and pinto beans, but the garbanzos are a good idea. That smoked paprika sounds wonderful--maybe I'll hunt some up for the next batch. Thanks for the offer!

Deb

[Memmey]

Deb I've read to put a little cocoa powder in it too. Just a little. You added cumin?
My son went to Budapest last year and brought paprika back. It is not like anything that I have had here. It smells like sweet red peppers and if I'm correct that is what it is.
When the weather gets cold you need to make them gumbo. I'll send you a jar of roux when you get ready. You can make chicken sausage gumbo. You will have to make your own "trinity"(celery- onions- bell pepper). We can buy it already chopped up. Let me know if you want me to send it.:)

[rubyslippers]

That sweet red pepper paprika from Budapest sounds amazing ... spices of the world! That sounds like a great thread ... we could all just post our favorite spices and the odd uses. Anyway Deb, your chili sounds like it turned out really well ... I like to add a little teeny tiny completely unnoticeable dash of sugar. It cuts the acidity of all the tomatoes a little imperceptible bit. I am sure I just do it because my Mom did it. You probably could not tell the difference if I did or didn't do that, but it makes me feel like it is "finished". Who won the cook-off?

[dedavis]

It ended up not being a contest, just an eating and talking fest. Although one guy came up and told me mine was the best.

I cook the meat with lots of spices and fresh garlic. I used cumin, chili powder, oregano and white pepper. Also some red pepper flakes. I did throw in some garbanzo beans too. Next time I will try a little cocoa powder or something sweet.

I would LOVE to try making gumbo. Send the spices and recipe whenever you feel like it...I would be happy to pay for them.

This town has a lot of Italian-American people, which means good food. They do this thing during the holidays called "Bagna cauda", which means hot bath. You heat olive oil, butter, garlic and anchovies in an electric skillet and let the flavors mingle for hours. Then you throw in vegetables like mushrooms, onions, broccoli, etc, and cook like fondue. When they're done, you scoop them out onto french bread and slurp it up. I had it once, and it sent my northern soul into shock. People who have eaten bagna exude garlic from their pores, and you can smell it in the streets when someone is throwing a bagna party.

I could think about food, talk about food, write about food, and eat food all day! Let's do have a thread about spices. Maybe we could all pick one, do some research and tell everyone what we learn.

Deb

[cheapdiva]

This sounds like heaven except I would not use anchovies - yuck! Anything that can be "slurpped" up on bread, we'll I am all about that!

[Memmey]

me too me too...*.* bread*.*........:D