TOC Chili

Last Thursday I won a crock pot and by Saturday I had given it away. There I was, sitting in a chair and this very hip cool sweet girl was sitting near me eating olives (I was eating cheese), and it just came out of my mouth. Does anyone want a crock pot? And while it’s true I have no room to store the crock in my overcrowded post-wedding gifted kitchen, and while I don’t fancy the idea of leaving a pot of stew by itself for hours at a time, I still kind of want the thing. Why? Because I won it. I realized this yesterday when I removed it from its Styrofoam nest and put it (in all its 6-quart glory) on my counter top. That crock pot means my meatball recipe, the one I conceptualized from my desk one long, dull day at work, was worthy of recognition. I was worthy of recognition. And yet, sitting across from the cheese and olive plate at a dinner party in someone else’s living room talking to a potential new friend, I offered it up, up and away. This is what happens when I like someone. I tend to offer them things rather than embrace the awkward first steps that actually build a friendship. I recognize it’s weird and a little pathetic but what’s done is done. Maybe before I give that crock pot away, I’ll give it a chance or two to prove it’s worth. After all, there’s a Time Out Chicago chili cook-off in two weeks, and I’m competing.

TIME OUT CHICAGO CHILI COOK-OFF

The Rules: Attention budding gourmands and halftime heros: Think your chili is up to snuff? Send us 50 words on why your crock pot creation kicks ass and you may be chosen as one of 25 finalists who will compete in the first Time Out Chicago Chili cook-off on November 19th.

The Prize: There better be one, all I see is a ruthless little “TBA” on the website.

The Entry: I’ve never been happy with chocolate just for dessert, but thanks to the Mexican culinary gods, mole lets me get away with serving it for dinner too. My Chili But Holy Oaxacan Mole kicks some serious chocolaty ass. The 8 herbs and spices that go into it don’t hurt either.

As yet untested “Chili But Holy Oaxacan Mole” Recipe

4 tablespoons corn oil
½ cup flour
1 tablespoon chili powder
2 pounds stew beef
1 yellow onion, chopped
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
1 granny smith apple, peeled and chopped
2 tablespoons minced canned chipotle chilies plus 1 tablespoon adobo sauce
6 garlic cloves
4 whole cloves (1/8 tsp ground)
1 teaspoon black peppercorn (1/4 tsp ground)
1 teaspoon whole cumin seeds (1/2 tsp ground)
½ teaspoon whole aniseed
½ teaspoon whole coriander (1/4 tsp ground)
1 one-inch cinnamon stick (1/8 tsp ground)
2 teaspoons dried Mexican oregano
1 can tomato paste
3 cups Guinness
30 ounces can black beans, drained
2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, grated
2 tablespoons lime juice
2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves


In a large, steep sided skillet, heat 2 tablespoons corn oil until hot but not smoking. Dredge stew meat in a mixture of flour and chili powder; shake off excess flour. In batches if necessary, brown stew meat in hot oil and set aside for later. Add remaining 2 tablespoons of oil to the pan and sauté onions, carrots and apple for 2 minutes. Add chipotle, adobo sauce, garlic, cloves, pepper, cumin, aniseed, coriander, cinnamon, and oregano. Stir until fragrant and mix in the tomato paste and beer. Bring mixture to a simmer and add stew meat, beans, and chocolate. Cook in a crock pot on low setting for 8-10 hours. When meat is tender, season stew with lime juice and thyme. Serve with sour cream.