A CHILI WINTER?

Last night I prepared for winter by making a large pot of chili. This is a deceiving dish, as it seems so simple. There is hardly a dish I like better to eat when entering the safety of my warm abode from a biting winter’s day. Actually, my abode is not that warm upon immediate entry. Hence, the thought of a steaming bowl of chili is a great allure, promising comfort and satisfaction soon—very soon.

However, if there is none awaiting the chilled returnee in freezer or refrigerator, what choice is there but to prepare it from scratch? This is not a great problem, but it does take some time to prepare. If one merely opens cans and pours the contents into a suitable container and then microwaves it, the time factor is not such a consideration. By doing this one has a form of chili, or something presenting itself in the name of chili. Is it the real thing? Each must make his own determination on this issue.

For me such chili just doesn’t “cut it.” So I spend more of my time at it. Having said this, I now must own up to taking a few “short-cuts.” If I have the time, everything that goes into the chili is fresh. When I arrive home at 10:30 pm, there has to be a lesser effort, but one that still meets a personal standard.

Last night I got out the large bottom section of my Turbo Steamer to handle the load. Yes! I’m an abundanza sort of man. No French-style meal composed of ten courses of teaspoon proportions, set so prettily that one doesn’t know whether to put them in a vase or eat them. No, that sort of cuisine is not for me.

First, I added bottled water to about 3/8 inch, standing. Then, I added Italian herbs, paprika, black pepper, diced garlic and a diced, yellow onion. I fired up the gas. When it began to boil, I introduced fine ground black and navy bean powder, stirring. I also added about five cubes of sirloin beef.  Then, due to the immediate need for additional fluid, I opened a large can of Hunt’s tomato sauce and poured it into the Turbo Steamer pot. There was a bit of stirring required. Things at this point were going well. I introduced a diced, hydroponic tomato to the mix.

I must say that it was prior to the introduction of the Hunt’s tomato sauce that I introduced an element which is strictly personal and which may seem controversial to purists. I diced into small pieces one yellow potato and one redskin potato, adding them to the mix.

I went to my cubbard and got out some additional materials to add. Chief amongst these was chili powder. I liberally introduced this ingredient. A touch of cumin powder. A bay leaf. More black pepper. It is at this point that I introduced a modest “tip” of a green jalapeno pepper. This gave the brew the perfect level of “bit,” which I like. This is done with care, as I don’t like to be overwhelmed with a burning sensation.

After stirring and allowing the heat to rise to bubbling, I introduced lean ground beef sirloin (7% fat) at the proportion of .8 of a pound [English weight]. Thereafter, more stiring of the mix. Then, I made another move which may raise eyebrows. I introduced a can of Hunt’s vegetarian baked beans. The reason for this was my personal sense that “chili with beans” should include something that “looks” like a baked bean. So, I, therefore, added the beans. At this point, the brew had not attained the correct consistency, so I knew that I’d have to wait some time for that.

The experienced cook will realise that the potatoes introduced would take more time to “get along with” the other ingredients.

Taking a seat on my cushioned rocking chair, I commenced a pleasant rocking as the ingredients in the Turbo Steamer [bottom pot] introduced themselves to one another. In my view, a community feeling amongst the ingredients is not only desirable but important. So, I kept on rocking, now and then arising to stir the ingredients. In time the brewing chili began to have a “chili texture” and, as I realised from my potato addition, developed a welcomed smoothness without losing isles of discretely interesting tastes.

I knew my labors were going to pay off “big time,” and so it happened. Hmmmn! Hmmmn! Good!

All rights reserved. Gobigfoot, 2007.

WHY I LIKE STEW

There are few dishes that appeal to me more than a savory stew. I think of stew as a cornucopia of healthy foods. In fact stew is my “multivitamin pill tutti multivitamin pill.” Okay! It’s not REALLY a pill. True enough. I grant this. It’s better than a pill, a capsule, or a tablet. It’s better than droplets of liquid vitamins, or minerals, or both. It tastes GOOD!

Now, let me hasten to say that I am referencing fresh stew. There are basically five kinds of stew: vegetable, beef, chicken, fish, and lastly, abominations. For reasons of health, I, personally, avoid the “abominations” variety of stew. Others may have some singular but personally important reason to avoid one of these five choices. There is no reason why a person may not exhibit a bias or discrimination in these matters.

For myself the idea of mussels, clams, oysters, sea worms, octopus, squid, and other “vermin of the sea” is out. No way, Jose! Still, there are many people who savor such “foods,” and they are free to indulge.

For others the thought of eating animal flesh is disgusting. For such there is the pleasure of eating vegetarian stew. With the latter there are a vast array of possible combinations. For some stew dishes the introduction of some fruit may be a succulent variation. One can also add a variety of nuts and legumes [peanuts are actually legumes], depending on one’s requirements for that meal, based on mood and taste.

One of the magical things about stew is that it is hard to have an absolute favorite. With stew, mood and nuance play an important role. Are you really ready for chicken stew? Perhaps a nice fish stew would better fit the moment. One of the wonderful things about stew is that you can even savor the pre-preparation, as you muse “just which stew would be best tonight?” to yourself. The mind is so important to the enjoyment of a pleasure TO ITS FULLEST. Therefore, let your mood have free rein so that your mind chooses well.

Now, I am confident that most people perceive that, when I speak of “chicken,” I do so both in a specific sense and in the general sense of “fowl.” Turkey, cornish hen, partridge, quail, etc., are all welcomed additions to the stew “du jour.” Again, personal taste and mood are so important.

This same principle applies to fish. Above all others, however, fish stew should be made with fresh fish. If you don’t have access to fresh fish, this is a stew that should be placed on the “backburner”–so to speak. Also, I do play a little “loose” here with my definitions, as I include sea dwellers that are actually mammals, not fish. Just remember this, folks: red snapper is a fish and in a stew is tasty! It’s not alone in this category.

Personally, I love lamb stew. However, last night, December 7, I prepared a beef stew. How? Funny you should ask!

I took cubes of sirloin, placing them in a large, microwavable dish. These were sprinkled liberally with chili powder, black pepper, and an Italian herbal mix. Next, diced garlic and onion were added. Then I added sliced yellow potato. This was followed by sliced redskin potato. These were sent through a 4 minute microwave cycle. The ingredients were stirred and tossed and Cauliflower pieces added. Then, they all go through another 4 minute cycle. Out they come, the lid popped, and once again stirred and tossed. Now, baby carrots and about a tablespoon of sweet butter were added. Again, the ingredients went into the microwave for, this time, three minutes. When this cycle was completed, the container was removed once again from the microwave, the ingredients stirred and tossed, and the final element added. I introduced several pieces of broccoli. Let me say, parenthetically, that it smelled great! After this last addition, then began the final “burn” of 3 minutes.

For those who like a “soupier” stew, the addition of some water, milk, or other suitable (according to taste) liquid can be introduced.

When I introduced the stew to a plate, I did a partial segregation. The reasons for this were two-fold: I had squeezed onto one side of the platter about half a lemon, which I intended for the broccoli. I also placed the cauliflower into a pile, or group, so that I could intoduce a sprinkling of sharp cheddar cheese for this food only. Due to my lack of absolutist principles in these matters, there was a touch of lemon and cheese, missing their respective marks and enhancing some of the neighboring foods.

It was a very pleasing meal. Try it! Or make your very own, delectable stew. Your health will improve, I’ll wager. Confidentially, who needs a doctor when you can have stew? Dig? Then “dig in!”

All rights reserved. Gobigfoot, 2007.