Tag Archives: chili

Chili Tamale Pie

  January 30, 2013 - 7:14 am | , , , , , , , , ,
4 Comments
tamale pie 1

tamale pie 2

Tuesday was the last night in a week long freeze that had the whole family (and much of the Northeast) cooped up in the house. It’s too cold to play outside and too cold to take the twins out at all. The one time I did venture out for anything more than a grocery run or a trip to Ama and Papa’s house was a disaster. That’s when I discovered the hard way that it was so cold that even the baby wipes I keep in the car were frozen. Trust me when I say that you are very happy you were not with us at that moment.

When it’s this cold we all crave comfort food. To me comfort food equals casseroles. My love for casseroles has many reasons. I love that the effort in making them is front loaded so that you have time to clean up the kitchen while the casserole bakes, and I love that you can easily hide lots of veggies in them which makes them kid-friendly as well as mom-friendly. But I mostly love casseroles because they are warm and comforting; that’s a good thing when you are as cold as a penguin with male-pattern baldness.

Of course, I also love casseroles because many of them fall into the category of “retro” food. Most of us grew up familiar with all sorts of casseroles, and many of us have had more than our fare share of bad casseroles. Very few things are as bad as a casserole thrown together with canned soup, frozen overcooked veggies and huge tough boneless, skinless chicken breasts. I don’t think that casseroles deserve their lazy housewife image. Many good casseroles take lots of attention, skill and quality ingredients to turn out just right. Cassoulet is certainly not a simple weeknight meal, and even a good macaroni and cheese requires that the cook know just the right blend of cheeses, milk, pasta and other ingredients to provide a finished product bursting with the right blend of cheese and creaminess.

This casserole checks all my boxes. It’s warm, I’ve hidden in a decent amount of veggies, it’s full of cheese, chili and yummy cornbread. It’s my take on the classic Tex-Mex casserole; tamale pie.

Tamale pie recipes vary all over the place. They are in theory a meat filling with a cornbread topping. Unlike last week’s recipe, I’m not terribly concerned with being authentic here. I just like something that tastes good, stretches the chili out across more meals and warms me up.

This basic recipe is wonderful just as is it, but it’s also has all sorts of potential for adding new things to it. If you really want to warm up, switch out the peppers for hotter ones: use pasillas, a serrano or even a little chipotles for a smokey flavor. Adding beans to the chili here would not be frowned on, and you could chop up any sort of veggie you want it. You can do what you want with this casserole, but I’m a big fan of simple. It’s cheesy, it’s warm, it’s good. So, enjoy!

tamale pie 1

Beef Chili Tamale Pie
serves 6
This is a simple casserole which combines the classic flavors of chili, cheese and cornbread. Because it is easily warmed up in the microwave, it can be made ahead of time.

Cornbread Topping:
1 cup corn meal
1-1 pound package frozen corn, thawed
1 cup buttermilk
2 eggs
3 tablespoons vegetable oil or bacon drippings
1 tablespoon sugar
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
8 oz Co-Jack, Monterrey Jack or Cheddar cheese, shredded and divided in three parts
1/2 teaspoon chili powder

Vegetable and Chili Sauce
2 teaspoons olive oil
1/2 onion, chopped fine
1 small red bell pepper, seeded and chopped fine
1 poblano or pasilla pepper, seeded and chopped fine
1 small tomatoes, seeded and diced
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups Texas Beef Chili without beans

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Heat olive oil in a large cast-iron pan over medium heat. When the oil begins to shimmer, add the peppers, onion, tomatoes and salt and cook until all the vegetables are very soft and beginning to brown around the edges, about 10 minutes.

DSC_0022DSC_0024

While the vegetables are cooking pulse the corn in a food processor several times until it is chopped, but not pureed.

DSC_0025

In a bowl, combine the corn meal, sugar, garlic, salt and baking powder in a medium bowl. In another bowl combine the corn, buttermilk, garlic, eggs and oil. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and fold in 1/3 of the cheese.

DSC_0031

Use a blender or food processor to blend the vegetables up into a smooth paste.

DSC_0027

Return to skillet and add chili. Bring mixture up to a simmer then remove from the heat.

DSC_0029

Spread 1/3 of the shredded cheese over the chili.

DSC_0032

Then evenly spread the cornbread batter over the top.

DSC_0033

Mix the chili powder with the last 1/3 of the shredded cheese and sprinkle over the top of the cornbread batter.

DSC_0034

Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until the top of the casserole is evenly brown and the center of the casserole springs back when lightly touched.

tamale pie 3

 

Texas Chili Means NO BEANS

  January 23, 2013 - 5:00 am | , , , , , , , ,
2 Comments
DSC_0160

DSC_0160
Real Texas chili is good by itself or on almost anything–like enchiladas

Chili is a highly personal food. Much like the variety of preferences in Thanksgiving stuffing, every Texan has their own idea of what makes Texas chili authentic. They agree on almost nothing: ground beef or cubed, spicy or mild, tomato or no tomato, beer or no beer, and especially the chilies. Two or three Shiner Bocks into any night in Texas, and you might find yourself in a heated debate on what makes it real Texas Red. Texans agree on only one thing about their chili–NO BEANS!

I can’t possibly discuss chili without telling you about Robb Walsh’s The Tex-Mex Cookbook: A History in Recipes and Photos published by Ten Speed Press. This book is a goldmine of information on the history of Tex-Mex cuisine. There is a whole chapter dedicated to chili, and no less than nine historical recipes for the real stuff. Each recipe is decidedly different which proves that a single recipe for real Texas chili is more of a myth and a taste memory than something that exists. In it’s simplest form, chili con carne is a beef stew made from cubed beef or ground beef which is cooked with chilies and cumin. From there on the gloves come off and the differences come out.

There are only about three rules to making real Texas Red, and except the no-beans rule, even these are not set in stone. First rule: no beans (have I mentioned that yet?). Second, use lots of cumin; how much is up for debate, but it better be in there. Third, use more than one type of chili. Ideally these should be real dried chilies, not chili powder. The third one is the one that catches me up because I don’t have any whole dried chilies. They are pretty expensive around here, and I just don’t need them very often. I should probably keep a stock of Ancho chilies around since they are mild and can be used in almost anything, but I don’t. I have twins (my current excuse for anything I’m just too lazy to deal with).

There are other rules that are up for debate. While many people say that real Texas chili is tomato free, most of the chili I had in Texas did, in fact, contain tomatoes. However, they aren’t necessary, and I like the rich, almost chocolaty flavor that a tomato-less chili offers. Another rule that sparks heated chili debates is whether the chili should be made with ground beef or cubed beef. I like both. Ground beef is most common, even in Texas, but there’s something special about a chili made with chunks of chuck that are cooked till super tender then “shredded” into a bowl of falling apart, chili heaven.

Anyone not from Texas is sure to think the whole no-beans thing is a bit silly and not really that important, but its oh-so-important to us. So why no beans? Robb Walsh provides the best answer:

“In most of the rest of the country, chili has one purpose – it is a hearty one-dish meal. But in Texas, chili has a wide variety of uses. It can be used straight or diluted as a sauce. It’s a popular topping for tamales, to make it into a meal, you combine it with beans, tamales, tortillas, enchiladas, scrambled eggs, or any number of other things. Texans don’t have anything against eating beans with their chili. They just have a lot of other ways to eat it.”

He’s right on too. Growing up in Texas, chili was on top of everything. The snack-bar at my high-school served chili (and neon-orange cheese goo) on top of nachos, burritos, french fries and even baked potatoes (I’m probably forgetting something). Restaurants topped enchiladas, burritos and chimichangas with chili (oh, I miss you Chuy’s). Even the IHOP where I waited tables served chili topped omelets. Chili is to Tex-Mex what Parmesan cheese is to Italian-American food; its on top of everything.

My chili recipe is a blend of several recipes from The Tex-Mex Cookbook, as well as a few of my own touches. It’s true Texas Red flavor, made more accessible for my Yankee family kitchen. I’ve found that using a blend of Ancho chili powder and hot paprika offers an authentic flavor, yet with a still manageable heat level. Paprika is anything but a dominant ingredient in most Texas chili, but the flavor is rich and full bodied and the heat is just on the cool side of hot. If you want something even milder, then you can substitute out the hot paprika for sweet paprika. If you want something hotter change out the hot paprika for Arbol or Chipotle chili peppers. Whatever you use, you will like the result. This recipe is simple: nothing too fancy or complex, but it’s true Texas flavor and NO BEANS! Enjoy!

DSC_0154

Chili Con Carne (Texas Red)
Makes about 6 cups

This is a milder version of an authentic style Texas chili. Containing no tomatoes, it’s a versatile sauce that can top anything from Fritos to cheese enchiladas, or it can be served up in a bowl with a sprinkle of onion and and handful of shredded cheese on top.

2 pounds stew meat cubed into 1/2 inch pieces and dried of any moisture (preferably chuck)
1 onion, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons ground Ancho chili
2 tablespoon hot paprika
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon coarse black pepper
1 teaspoon dried oregano (Mexican if possible)
2 bay leaves
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
3 cups beef broth
2 tablespoons corn flour (masa harina)

Heat olive oil in a dutch oven over high heat. When the oil starts to shimmer add the beef and cook until any liquid has evaporated and the meat is browned on all sides, about 10 minutes.

DSC_0132

Add the onion and continue to cook until the onion is tender and starting to brown, about another 5 minutes.

Add the chili powders, cumin, black pepper and salt. Stir until all the meat is covered in the spices and continue to cook for another minute.

DSC_0138

Add the bay leaves, oregano and broth. Stir to mix everything together. Bring to a simmer and reduce heat to low. Cover and cook until the meat is very tender and beginning to fall apart, about 1 1/2 hour.

DSC_0139

Using a potato masher or the back of a large spoon, break the meat up until most of it has fallen apart but there are a few chunks still visible.

DSC_0141DSC_0142

In a small bowl combine corn flour with 1/4 cup of cold water and stir until a thin paste forms. Pour the paste into the chili and stir until the corn flour mixture dissolves into the chili.

DSC_0144

Return to a simmer long enough for the corn flour to cook, about 10 minutes. Season to taste. Serve with chopped onion and cheese, or over enchiladas, corn chips, burritos or whatever you want!

If you’re interested in Robb’s book, here’s a link to it…

Cheater Cheater Enchilada Eater

  June 21, 2011 - 9:04 pm | , , , ,
7 Comments

Frequently my dinner plans center around something in my fridge or cupboard that needs to be used for one reason or another. Today was a day like that. A few weeks ago I bought a container of green salsa verde with avocado from Trader Joe’s. I was looking for the great green salsas I used to get at taquerias in Houston. Well, I bought it and forgot about it in the fridge till I cleaned out the fridge yesterday and discovered it had a use-by date of today. So, I went to the internet in search of a good easy green chili enchilada recipe that I could bend to my ingredients and my Meatless Monday vegetarian requirement. The Simply Recipes blog had my starting point (which you can find here).

Enchiladas are almost always cooked in their sauce, but I choose not to do that with this recipe. I wanted the flavor of the salsa to stay fresh and the avocado to keep its texture and creaminess. So, I decided to cook the enchiladas with nothing except a little cheese on top, and I loved the result; a perfectly simple enchilada that tasted of cheese, corn and chili with just a hint of creamy avocado. The tortillas didn’t have any sauce to soak up, so they held their form instead of getting soggy. Also, not having any sauce to heat up sped up the cooking time considerably.

Because I was able to crank these bad boys out while he was napping, Little Guy and I spent all afternoon playing around in the backyard. I took the enchiladas out of the fridge when we came in and then popped them in the oven right before we ate. Since I was in hurry and short on ingredients I threw together a crazy simple imitation Mexican rice that turned out great. I shoved it full of peas and carrots to trick the little guy into eating his veg – and boom – dinner was done.

Important note from the science desk (yes there’s a science desk!): I mention that you can make these ahead of time and keep them in the fridge until time to cook them. Well, not all cooking vessels are created equal when it comes to going straight from the fridge to the oven. Some newer pans are not made from the same material that older pans were. Older glass baking dishes were made from borosilicate glass: a type that expands very little as it is heated. Nowadays dishes sold perhaps under the same tradename are made from common soda-lime glass. This glass expands much more as it is heated, so if it expands too rapidly or unevenly, it can break violently. For more on this issue, read the article that can be found here. So, if you plan to go from fridge to oven, make sure your pan is heat safe!

Super Fast and Easy Green Chili Enchiladas
makes 12 enchiladas
Any good quality green chili salsa will do for the top, but Trader Joe’s with avocado is really nice. It’s fresh and the avocados give the salsa a mellow creaminess that really makes the meal. I call for 10 oz of cheese because I really like cheese, but you could easily use an 8 oz. package and just go without the extra on top. You can stuff and roll these ahead of time and keep them in the fridge until you are ready to start cooking.

1 mild green chili (like poblano or cubanelle)
1 package corn tortillas (12 – 6″ tortillas)
non-stick cooking spray
10 oz monterey jack cheese, shredded
6 oz green chili salsa with avocado (or any good quality green chili salsa)

Place the chili over the open flame and rotate until all sides are dark and the chili is bubbly all over. If you don’t have open gas burners, use the broiler for this step. Wrap in a towel and set aside for at least 10 minutes. Then remove it from the towel and use a knife to remove the skin from the pepper. Remove the top and seeds from the pepper and cut into twelve strips. Set aside.

Preheat an oven to 450 degrees and spray a 9×13″ pan with non-stick cooking spray. Heat an 8″ skillet over medium heat. Spray one side of a tortilla and place in the skillet; spray the other side. Let the tortilla cook for about 20-30 seconds per side, or until it is soft and starts to bubble. Remove the tortilla to your work surface. Place 1/2 ounce of cheese (about 2 tablespoons) along the bottom third of your tortilla and top with one strip of chili. Roll up and place in the greased pan. Repeat with remaining tortillas, 5 1/2 ounces of the cheese and the strips of chilis. Top with the remaining 4 ounces of shredded cheese and place in the preheated oven.

Cook for 10 minutes. Once the cheese has melted and starts to bubble turn the oven to broil and continue to cook for another 2 minutes. The enchiladas are done when the cheese on top is light golden brown. While the enchiladas are cooking, heat the salsa in the microwave. Top each enchilada with one tablespoons of salsa.

Play by Play…

This is the salsa that started the meal idea for tonight.

Roast the pepper over an open flame until all sides are evenly charred.

Wrap chili in a towel for 10 minutes to let the steam loosen the skin and make it easier to remove.

Use the blade of a knife to scrape the skin from the chili.

Place cheese and a strip of the chili on each tortilla before rolling the tortilla up.

The little guy’s first enchilada. He liked the first few bites then ate out the cheese and all the rice. Oh well, next time I’ll get him to eat them.

Cheater’s Mexican Rice

I call this cheater’s Mexican rice because it was just so easy to make that it seems like you must be cheating. The flavor is no cheat though. Try to resist the urge to use grocery store taco seasonings because they usually contain MSG. If you don’t have taco seasoning you can use 1 tsp paprika, 1 tsp cumin and 1 tsp oregano.

3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbs olive oil
1 cup long grain rice
1 tbs taco seasoning (I use Penzey’s)
1 cup frozen peas and carrots
1 1/2 cups low sodium vegetable broth (or chicken)

Saute garlic and oil over medium heat until garlic is fragrant. Add rice and continue to cook until rice grains turn opaque. Add taco seasoning, peas and carrots and broth. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to low. Stir once, cover and cook for 20 minutes. Fluff with a fork and serve.

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...