Today’s Machining World Archive: December 2007, Vol. 3, Issue 12
Chili. The word conjures a feast of the autumn senses for me, along with the smell of outdoor bonfires, the feel of my back after raking 14 bags of leaves, and the bi-annual “Changing of the Wardrobe,” where multiple extra-large plastic storage bins filled with bulky winter wear (we are a family of girls) are ceremoniously hauled down from the attic and swapped with spring clothes, which are then banished back to the attic ‘til the first serious thaw. To celebrate our wacky wardrobe escapade, there’s the first batch of chili.
I’ve learned to accommodate my vegetarian daughters, who are long on conviction but were short-changed for years in the “hearty” department, until I found a recipe using vegetarian crumbles – also known as soy – that gave the consistency of a fine, meaty chili. I go spicy – they are a little on the wimpier side, and scratch their heads at my obsession with a kick that can make you cry.
The Genesis of Chili
Chili, in all its glory and manifestations, is really just a spicy stew-like dish. The name “chili con carne” is Spanish for “chili (peppers) with meat.” Chili con carne is the official dish of the U.S. state of Texas. Texas may have given us George Bush, but at least they’ve got their gastronomical priorities in order.
Chasing the origins of chili isn’t easy – some websites say chili was invented in Mexico during the 1840s, as a replacement for pemmican, which is a traditional Native American food made with strips of lean dried meat pounded into paste, mixed with melted fat, dried berries and fruits; other sites place its origin in Tijuana, Baja California or Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua, Mexico.
According to the “What’s Cooking America” website, the origins of chili did not originate in Mexico. In an article called San Antonio: An Historical and Pictorial Guide, San Antonio writer Charles Ramsdell said: “Chili, as we know it in the U.S., cannot be found in Mexico today except in a few spots which cater to tourists. If chili had come from Mexico, it would still be there. For Mexicans, especially those of Indian ancestry, do not change their culinary customs from one generation, or even from one century, to another.”
But the Mexican origin theory holds that it was created as a complimentary dish served at cantinas, especially to please outsiders, who wanted something spicy and “Mexican” to eat, but also free or cheap. It was made with leftovers from the meals prepared in the cantina and served for free to drinking customers!
The Americanized version consisted of dried beef, suet, dried chili peppers and salt, which were pounded together and left to dry into bricks, which then were boiled in pots on the trail. An alternative theory holds that chili was born in Ensenada, Mexico in the 1880s as a way of stretching available meat in the kitchens of poor Tejanos, people of Hispanic descent born and living in the U.S. state of Texas.
A Little Spicy History
According to Wikipedia, in downtown San Antonio during the 1880s: “brightly-dressed Hispanic women known as ‘Chili Queens’ began to appear, building charcoal or wood fires to reheat cauldrons of pre-cooked chili, and sell it by the bowl to passers-by. The aroma was a potent sales pitch, aided by Mariachi street musicians, who joined in to serenade the eaters. Some Chili Queens later built semi-permanent stalls in the mercado, or local Mexican marketplace.”
However, in September of 1937 the San Antonio health department implemented new sanitary regulations and the “street chili” culture quickly disappeared. But San Antonio’s mercado was renovated in the 1970s, and local merchants began staging re-enactments of the Chili Queens, and the “Return of the Chili Queens Festival” is now part of that city’s annual Memorial Day festivities.
If there is any doubt about what Mexicans think about chili, the Diccionario de Mejicanismos, which was published in 1959 but still gets a mention, defines chili con carne as “detestable food passing itself off as Mexican, sold in the U.S. from Texas to New York.”
Famous Chili Calls
Will Rogers (1879-1935), popular actor, cattleman, banker, and journalist, called chili a “bowl of blessedness.” Will Rogers judged a town by the quality of its chili. He sampled chili in hundreds of towns, especially in Texas and Oklahoma, and kept score. He concluded that the finest chili (in his judgment) was from a small cafe in Coleman, Texas.
Jesse James (1847-1882), outlaw and desperado of the old American West, refused to rob a bank in McKinney, Texas because that is where his favorite chili parlor was located.
And Mrs. Lady Bird Johnson had “chili pangs” for President Lyndon Johnson’s, 36th President of the United States, “Pedernales River Chili” and had cards printed with the LBJ chili recipe.
Chili Association
There really is a Chili Appreciation Society International, Inc. Its mission is to promote chili and raise money for charity. They are involved in over 500 chili cook-offs per year and raise over $1,000,000.00 annually for local charities. They also educate the public about the historic and cultural significance of chili – an indigenous American tradition. They are actually working for the adoption of chili as the National Food of the United States.
Corporate CASI puts on an annual Terlingua International Chili Championship, which, after expenses, contributes close to $60,000 to charity. Good food for a good cause – CASI has got it right.
Scott Walker of Mitsui-Seiki has the first word on recipes: He says the secret ingredient for any chili is adding a chocolate bar to the batch. I like how he thinks.
CHILI RECIPES:
Flying Squirrel’s Holiday Valley Chili
Submitted by: Mike Vining
Mitisco Machinery Sales
“This recipe has evolved over the years after being served to visiting race officials and coaches for lunch at downhill ski races at Holiday Valley in Ellicottville NY. My son was nicknamed the Flying Squirrel after falling 12 feet from a chair lift while at Holiday Valley at the age of five into soft snow underneath. When he started ski racing, to his chagrin, the name stuck. We generally put a small sign near it that warns, ‘Not suitable for small children or wimps.’”
2 lbs white beans or navy beans, soaked in water overnight
2 c diced onions
2 c diced celery
½ c diced carrots
5 garlic cloves, chopped well or pressed through garlic press
Approx ½ c or less vegetable oil, divided use
Butter to add for sautéing
1 lb or more of boneless skinless chicken thighs, diced
(Breasts may be substituted)
½ c white wine or dry sherry for deglazing
8 c water with 4 tablespoons chicken base or for less salt,
use 8 cups home made stock or low sodium chicken stock
1 bay leaf
1 (7-oz) can chopped green chilies
½ t oregano, cumin, dry mustard, basil, Old Bay seasoning
¼ t Cajun seasoning
1 pickled jalapeno, chopped
1⁄3 of 7 oz can chipotle peppers in adobo, chopped w/sauce
(secret ingredient – do not substitute.)
½ c or more heavy cream
In a large stockpot, sauté diced salted chicken in some oil and a pat of butter. When browned on all sides, remove and set aside. In the same pan, sauté salted onion, celery and carrots in more oil and butter for 5 minutes or until onions are translucent. Add garlic in hot spot on bottom in center of pan and sauté for about one minute longer. Add oregano, cumin, dry mustard, basil, Old Bay, Cajun seasoning in center of pan for about 1 minute. Glaze with wine or sherry. Add reserved chicken and any juices and stir to coat with spices. Add chilies, water with chicken base or chicken stock, bay leaf, pickled jalapeno and chipotle in adobo sauce, and simmer for 1½ hours, stirring occasionally.
Add drained beans and simmer for 1 hour or more, stirring occasionally until beans are tender. Taste and adjust salt. Add heavy cream and warm through; do not allow to boil. If allowed to cool and then re-warmed before serving, the chili will be a more traditional thick consistency. If serving immediately, before adding cream remove about 1 cup of the cooked beans, mash and add back with cream. Thin out with chicken stock if it’s too thick when re-warming. Garnish soup with carrots strings and sour cream for wimps who can’t eat spicy food.
Dorri J. Smith’s Green Chicken Chili
Horst Engineering & Manufacturing
East Hartford, CT (Winner of Horst’s 2nd Annual Chili Contest)
1 T olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, crushed
3 (4 ounce) cans chopped green chile peppers
1 T ground cumin
2 t dried oregano or Italian seasoning
1 t ground cayenne pepper
2 (14.5 ounce) cans chicken broth
1 can water
3 c chopped cooked chicken breast
3 (15 ounce) cans drained white beans… mix them up
(white navy’s, black eyed peas, white kidney) whatever.
1 can black beans
1 large can diced tomatoes
1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium-low heat. Slowly cook the chicken and onions until chicken is white. Mix in the garlic, green chile peppers, cumin, oregano and cayenne into it. Continue to cook and stir the mixture for about 3 minutes. Mix in the broth/water, beans and tomatoes.
Simmer 15 minutes or longer (good in crock pot on low all day too), stirring occasionally.
Remove the mixture from heat. Top with cheese if desired. Have a bag of “Tostitos Scoops” on the table – I use them instead of a spoon!!
2 Big Pots Men’s Church Supper Chili
Miles Free, PMPA Director,
Industry Research and Technology
One pot for chili, one to make the spaghetti noodles to serve it over. This is always the first dish gone at men’s pot lucks at my church. This is a Cincinnati style chili. Easy to remember how to make – when in doubt, add two!
2- 2½ lbs ground chuck
2 large onions, diced
2 large green peppers (diced)
2 cans (14 oz) beef broth
2 cans (6 oz) tomato paste
2 cans (14.5 oz) crushed tomatoes (drained)
2 t Worcestershire sauce
2 cloves garlic (crushed)
2 t chili powder (two tablespoons if you like it hot!)
2 t unsweetened cocoa (or 2 pieces of baking chocolate)
1 t cinnamon
1 t allspice
1 T apple cider vinegar
½ t ground cayenne pepper
3 – 4 bay leaves
2 boxes spaghetti noodles
½ t olive oil
2 bags cheddar cheese (finely shredded)
Brown ground chuck in a large stock pot with 2 large diced onions and crushed garlic. Pour off excess fat. Add all the twos: two cans of beef broth, tomato paste, crushed tomatoes, chopped peppers, Worcestershire, chili powder, cocoa or baking chocolate. Bring to a boil, then lower to a simmer and add the ones: one teaspoon of cinnamon, allspice and vinegar. Throw in the bay leaves and the optional Cayenne pepper and simmer 2 hours. Salt and pepper to taste.
In second pot, boil water, add ½ teaspoon olive oil. Add spaghetti noodles. Noodles are done when one can walk down the wall behind the stove when thrown against it. Drain.
Place noodles in deep bowl. Ladle chili over noodles. Pile high with shredded cheddar. Serve with French bread torn into chunks. Goes great with an icy cold Molson Golden.
Jill’s Vegetarian Chili
1 tablespoon olive oil
½ medium onion, chopped
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon ground cumin
2 tablespoons dried oregano
1 tablespoon salt
2 stalks celery, chopped
2 green bell peppers, chopped
2 jalapeno peppers, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
2 (4 ounce) cans chopped green chili peppers, drained
2 (12 ounce) packages vegetarian burger crumbles
3 (28 ounce) cans whole peeled tomatoes, crushed
1⁄4 cup chili powder
1 tablespoon ground black pepper
1 (15 ounce) can kidney beans, drained
1 (15 ounce) can garbanzo beans, drained
1 (15 ounce) can black beans
1 (15 ounce) can whole kernel corn
Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Stir in onion, season with bay leaves, cumin, oregano, and salt. Cook and stir until onion is tender, then mix in the celery, green bell peppers, jalapeno peppers, garlic, and green chili peppers. When vegetables are heated through, mix in the vegetarian burger crumbles. Reduce heat to low, cover pot, and simmer 5 minutes. Mix tomatoes into the pot. Season chili with chili powder and pepper. Stir in the kidney beans, garbanzo beans, and black beans. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, and simmer 45 minutes. Stir in the corn, and continue cooking 5 minutes before serving.
Old Bennington Vegetarian Chili
Barbara Donohue, TMW writer
2 T olive oil
2 c chopped celery
2 c chopped peppers (red and/or green)
2 large carrots, chopped
3 good-sized onions, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 large (28 ounce) cans whole tomatoes
3 cans (16 ounce) red kidney beans
1 T chili powder
1 c raisins
¼ c wine vinegar
Chopped leaves from 1 small bunch of parsley
1½ t basil
1½ t oregano
1½ t cumin
1 t allspice (really!)
¼ t black pepper
¼ t hot pepper sauce (Tabasco)
1 bay leaf
1 bottle (12 ounces) of beer
1 c cashew nuts
Grated cheddar cheese
Heat olive oil in a large pot. Cook celery, peppers, carrots, onion and garlic until tender. Cut tomatoes in pieces. Add tomatoes, beans, raisins, vinegar and seasonings to the vegetables in the pot. Simmer, covered, 1½ hours. Add beer and cashews. Simmer, uncovered, 30 minutes more. Serve in big bowls with a sprinkling of cheese.
