Move over Jalapeno Beef, in cometh chili!!

[Bizymomma]

Today was cool and rainy, chili just fit the bill.
I've been wanting to experiment with my chili.

I loved the sauce that was served with the Jalapeno Beef recipe. I kept taking little spoonfuls to taste...then it doned on me, why not add that to chili!???!

I made the sauce, blended it as in the recipe and added it to the cooked beef! We all have our own recipes for chili (some tried and true, some still a work in progress [me]), so I won't bore you with all the other ingredients; did add cocoa tho. But, I just thought I would let you guys hear about this change! It was a tasty one!

[dollop]

What a good idea! I bet it added a nice layer of flavor.

[cjs]

"I kept taking little spoonfuls to taste..." - me too - good idea. It's clean out the frige nite, tonite, so I'll be adding it to something also.

[carolekv]

Great idea - maybe I'll win my chili competition this year!!

[bjcotton]

Hmmmmmmm, I haven't made chili for years! Maybe it's time.

[Roxanne 21]

We like chili maybe 2X per year---I have to think about the addition of chocolate, many have raved about it. Now the question---I have a recipe that we absolutely think is the best--how would I incorporate a chocolate taste??? Again--chili is a personal thing and we all come up with our favorite--really curious what that chocolate will do---help please.

[esgunn]

Roxanne, The recipe I have uses round steak in the chili. Brown the meat and remove, sweat the onions and garlic, add spices and saute 1 minute, add chili pwdr and unsweetened cocoa and saute 1 minute. Proceede with recipe adding back in beef, tomatoes, etc. I think you could incorporate that into any recipe.

You don't really taste "chocolate" it just adds a good depth of flavor.

[Bizymomma]

I agree,...I added almost 2 Tbsp. of cocoa into mine. It didn't taste chocolately...I don't know, the taste is kind of hard to explain, but good. I'll probably always add some now.

[luvnit]

Does anyone have the Jalapeno Beef recipe? I don't remember this one. Perhaps it was before my time here.

[bjcotton]

Is this the one you're talking about?

Jalapeño Beef with Polenta and Chile Sauce
(Cuisine at home, October 2006, Issue 59, p. 38)


Makes: 4 Cups Beef, 3 Cups Polenta, 11⁄3 Cups Sauce Total Time: 45 Minutes Rating: Easy


Saute, Add, and Puree:
1/2 cup onion, sliced
2 dried chiles, seeded, torn
1 corn tortilla, torn
1 clove garlic, crushed
2 T. vegetable oil
1 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup canned crushed tomatoes
1 T. fresh lemon juice
Salt to taste

Boil and Fold in:
3 1/2 cups water
1 cup polenta
1 t. kosher salt
1 cup Monterey Jack cheese, grated

Saute and Add:
1 1/2 lb. top sirloin, cut into 1" cubes
3 red jalapeños, sliced
2 T. vegetable oil
1 T. sugar
2 t. chili powder





Saute onion, chiles, tortilla, and garlic for the sauce in a saute pan in 2 T. oil over medium-high heat. Cook until onion softens, then add broth and tomatoes. Reduce heat to medium, simmer 2 minutes, then transfer sauce to a blender. Puree with lemon juice until smooth. (While blending, leave the top ajar covered with a towel so steam can escape.)Season with salt.

Boil water in a saucepan over medium-high heat; gradually whisk in polenta. Add salt, reduce heat to low, and cook 5 minutes, stirring often; fold in cheese. Keep polenta warm off heat.

Saute beef and jalapeños in a saute pan in 2 T. oil over high heat. Cook until beef is browned but rare in the center, about 5 minutes. Add sugar, chili powder, and salt to taste; saute another minute. Serve beef over polenta with chile sauce.