Monday, March 24, 2014

Culinary History: Gnocchi

I remember the first time I ever heard about gnocchi.  I was at a friend’s house and they just went on and on about how great it was.  I don’t think I’d ever heard someone get so excited about a pasta or dumpling (she couldn’t exactly decide which it was).  We were living in Boston at the time and the next time we went out for Italian my wife ordered it and I tried some.  Even though it would not be the best gnocchi I ever had, I immediately understood the appeal: A light and fluffy pillow of deliciousness wrapped in a tasty sauce.  I had to learn everything about it: where did it come from, what is it’s essence, does it exist outside of Italian cuisine, and what new places could I take it?


History
Oddly enough, even though gnocchi is synonymous with Florence, Italy it probably originates in the Middle East, but was brought to Italy and the rest of Europe by the Roman Empire.  The name is likely derived from a word meaning knot of wood or knuckle because of it’s shape.  This is an old food.  Because it requires little skill to make and doesn’t require special rollers or cutters, it likely predates most other forms of pasta.   The Romans would have originally made it out of a mixture of Semolina and egg, much like pasta, but shaped into small dumplings.  The use of potatoes, what we now think of as “traditional” wasn’t used until the 1500’s, after potatoes were brought to Europe from South America.


Essence
Think of gnocchi as a small airy dumpling.  What you choose to make the dumpling from is up to you.  It can be made like a pasta with just flour and eggs, or potatoes, butternut squash, or even cheese and toasted breadcrumbs to hold it together.  However, in every variation I’ve ever had it includes some flour to help hold it together.  My favorite Italian gnocchi is ricotta gnocchi, which I think has as good a texture as potato gnocchi, but a lot more flavor.  It tastes like the inside of a cheese ravioli, and has a wonderful texture.  My go-to recipe for ricotta gnocchi goes like this:


Italian Ricotta Gnocchi with Tomato Cream Sauce
- 15 oz. container of whole-milk ricotta
- 2 slices of white sandwich bread, crusts removed, quartered
- 1 egg
- 2 Tbsp. minced fresh basil
- 2 Tbsp. minced fresh parsley
- a dash of pepper
- ½ cup grated parmesan cheese
- flour
- 1 Tbsp. olive oil
- 1 clove of garlic, minced
- 14.5 oz. can of diced tomatoes, pureed in a food processor
- salt to taste
- 2 Tbsp. minced fresh basil
- 2 Tbsp. heavy cream


1. Make a triple thickness of paper towels.  Spread the ricotta on it and press down on it gently with another triple thickness of paper towels to remove excess moisture.
2. Process the bread into fine crumbs in a food processor then bake the crumbs at 300 degrees until golden brown, about 10 minutes. While the bread crumbs bake, food process the drained ricotta until smooth.
3. Combine ricotta, egg, basil, parsley, pepper, parmesan, bread crumbs, and salt to taste in a large bowl.  Add enough flour to make a dough that holds together when rolled into a ball, but still a bit tacky.  Refrigerate for 15 minutes.
4. Dust a work surface with flour, pull lemon sized pieces of dough out of the bowl and roll out into ¾ inch thick ropes with your hands.  Cut the rope into ¾ inch pieces and set them aside.  Repeat with the remaining dough.  
5. Boil 4 quarts of water and then add 1 Tbsp, of salt.  Reduce the water temperature to a simmer and then add the gnocchi a few at a time and cook, stirring occasionally.  Each gnocco is done after it rises to the surface of the water.  Remove them at this point with a slotted spoon and put them gently in a strainer.
6.  Heat the olive oil in a small saucepan over medium heat until shimmering.  Add the garlic and cook until fragrant.  Add the tomatoes and simmer for 5 minutes.  Add the basil, cream, and salt to taste.  Gently add the sauce and the gnocchi to a serving bowl.


This gnocchi is admittedly more complicated than potato gnocchi, which is just cooked potatoes run through a ricer to remove any lumps, mixed with flour and salt until it gets to the same tacky consistency described above.  However, it also has a lot more flavor, which is why I prefer it.  But if you want simple, my first variation is about as simple as it gets.


Variations
Variations on it can be found in many other European countries including Spain, France and Croatia.   Italian immigrants made their own variations on gnocchi when they settled in South America and people in Paraguay, Uruguay, Argentina, and Brazil are known to eat it on the 29th of each month.  Now you can find endless variations on gnocchi, both the dumpling itself and the sauce.  My first variation doesn’t take me far from it’s origins, but it doesn’t use ricotta cheese or potatoes in the dough, so I was intrigued.  I based it on this recipe. Because my broiler does not work very well and because it was my first time, her results are much prettier. iIt is a flour and egg dough topped with a browned Mornay sauce, but what is interesting about it is that the dough and the sauce contain almost all of the same ingredients.


Gnocchi a la Parisienne
- 2 cups milk, gently simmering
- 6 Tbsp. butter, melted
- 1 cup and 2 Tbsp. flour
- 5 Tbsp. grated parmesan cheese
- salt, pepper, and nutmeg to taste
- 3 eggs


1. Mix 1 cup of milk and 4 Tbsp. melted butter with 1 cup of flour and stir until thoroughly combined.  Whisk in the eggs 1 at a time.  Add 3 Tbsp. parmesan cheese, salt, pepper, and nutmeg to taste.   Add more flour as needed for it to have the consistency of mashed potatoes.  This mixture will be much wetter than the previous gnocchi.  This is because you will not roll and cut it, but rather use a pastry bag to squeeze out dumplings.
2. Boil a large pot of water and add 1 Tbsp. of salt.  Using a pastry bag or a plastic bag with the corner cut off squeeze 1 inch pieces of dough into the boiling water.  Each gnocco is done after it rises to the surface of the water.  Remove them at this point with a slotted spoon and put them gently in a strainer.
3. Stir the remaining melted butter and flour into a skillet over medium high heat and cook the flour for a few minutes, stopping if it starts to brown.  Whisk in the the remaining milk cook until slightly thickened.
4. Off-heat, quickly whisk in the the remaining parmesan cheese, salt, pepper, and nutmeg to taste.  Spread a little of this sauce on the bottle of a casserole dish.  Add the cooled gnocchi and then top with the remaining sauce.  Dot with a little more chilled butter and parmesan cheese and cook at 375 degrees for 20 minutes.  Broil to brown topping as needed and top with minced parsley.


Experiments
So I made gnocchi with ricotta, I made it with just flour.  I have made it before with potatoes.  So what could do I with it that I hadn’t seen before.  I decided to stay in Europe yet again, and make a Feta gnocchi with shrimp, tomatoes, and bell peppers.  The biggest struggle with this iteration is that feta is much drier than ricotta and these gnocchi need to be transferred to and from the water with care so they don’t crumble.


Mediterranean Feta Gnocchi with Shrimp, Tomatoes, and Bell Peppers
- 16 oz. feta cheese, drained if in brine, processed in a food processor into very fine crumbs
- 2 slices of white sandwich bread, crusts removed, quartered
- 1 egg
- 1 Tbsp. minced fresh oregano
- 4 Tbsp. minced fresh parsley
- a dash of pepper
- 1 lb raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- zest from 1 lemon
- 1 onion, minced
- 1 red bell pepper, minced
- 28 oz. diced tomatoes, drained
- ¼ cup white wine


1. Process the bread into fine crumbs in a food processor then bake the crumbs at 300 degrees until golden brown, about 10 minutes. While the bread crumbs bake, food process the drained ricotta until smooth.
2. Combine feta, egg, 2 Tbsp. parsley, oregano, pepper to taste, bread crumbs, and salt to taste in a large bowl.  Add enough flour to make a dough that holds together when rolled into a ball, but still a bit tacky.  Refrigerate for 15 minutes.
3. Dust a work surface with flour, pull lemon sized pieces of dough out of the bowl and roll out into ¾ inch thick ropes with your hands.  Cut the rope into ¾ inch pieces and set them aside.  Repeat with the remaining dough.  
4. Boil 4 quarts of water and then add 1 Tbsp, of salt.  Reduce the water temperature to a simmer and then add the gnocchi a few at a time and cook, stirring occasionally.  Each gnocco is done after it rises to the surface of the water.  Remove them at this point with a slotted spoon and put them gently in a strainer.
5. Toss the shrimp with the garlic and lemon zest and set aside.  Saute the onion and bell pepper in oil over medium high heat until softened and starting to brown.  Add tomatoes, white wine, and shrimp mixture and simmer until the shrimp are cooked through and the wine is mostly evaporated.  Add the parsley and stir to combine.  
6. Serve the gnocchi, adding the shrimp/tomato/pepper mixture on top.



My final idea was to create a soup similar to Wonton soup, but replace the pork dumplings with a flour gnocchi similar to French recipe, but with sauteed garlic and ginger in the dough.


Chinese Gnocchi Soup
- 2 quarts of chicken broth
- 3” piece of ginger, minced
- 1 Tbsp. soy sauce
- ¼ cup Chinese cooking wine or sherry
- 1 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
- 2 tsp. sesame oil
- 2 carrots, shredded
- 3 scallions, thinly sliced
- 4 cups baby spinach
- 1 cup milk
- ½ stick unsalted butter
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 3 large eggs
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- sugar, soy sauce, chili sauce to taste
- edamame (if desired)


1. Melt butter over medium heat.  Add garlic and ⅓ of the ginger and cook until fragrant.  Mix in 1 cup of milk and bring to a simmer.  Add 1 cup of flour and stir until thoroughly combined.  Take off heat and let sit.
2. Put the broth, the remaining ginger, soy sauce, wine, vinegar, and oil in a stock pot and bring to a boil over high heat.  Reduce the heat and gently simmer for 10 minutes. Add carrots and simmer until cooked through.  Keep gently simmering.
3. Quickly whisk the eggs into the cooling flour/butter/milk mixture 1 at a time.  Add more flour as needed for it to have the consistency of mashed potatoes.  This mixture will be much wetter than the previous gnocchi.  This is because you will not roll and cut it, but rather use a pastry bag to squeeze out dumplings. Add salt to taste.   
4. Using a pastry bag or a plastic bag with the corner cut off squeeze 1 inch pieces of dough into the simmering broth.  Each gnocco is done after it rises to the surface of the broth.  Add the spinach and scallions and serve.


So what about you? What’s the best gnocchi you’ve ever had? Have you ever had it without potatoes. Are you inspired to try something new? Let me know if you have any good ideas.

Sunday, March 16, 2014

Culinary History: Arepas Rellenas

Alright, so there is a chance you may not have even heard of Arepas, so if that’s you, let me fill you in. They are savory flatbreads made from cornmeal that are most commonly eaten in Venezuela and Columbia.  They are often cut in half and used to make sandwiches.  They also happen to be crazy delicious.  But how did they come to be? How do you make them? What other cultures make arepas? And what exciting new variations can we create?


History

Arepas are a pre-Columbian food (meaning they predate Columbus’ voyages).  They were made by the Native American in the Andes of what is now Western Venezuela.  A variation made from Yucca was also eaten by other tribes.  The word Arepa comes from the word meaning “corn bread” in the native language.  They were originally made from dried fresh corn, but for convenience they are now made usually from Masarepa or Masa Harina.  Masarepa is not nixtamalized like Masa Harina, meaning it is not treated with lime or ash (which are alkaline).  Masarepa has a milder flavor, but less minerals than Masa Harina.  


Essence
I will admit that it is a bit subjective to try to define what the ingredients and preparation of arepas are. Technically, it is just a cornmeal flatbread.  Originally they would have been eaten plain as bread at any meal.  This style is called “viuda.”  Currently, they can either be stuffed like an empanada or they are cut in half and eaten like a sandwich. Any arepa that is filled is called “arepa rellena.” Just like any bread, you can add anything into an arepa, but certain fillings (like shredded beef and cheese, or chicken and avocado) are as common as chicken salad or pulled pork sandwiches in America.  They can be any size, though they are most often about the size of an English muffin.  They can be grilled, fried, baked, even steamed, though I prefer sauteed.  

So since I am being subjective, for my purposes we will be making Arepas Rellenas and they must include
- some kind of ground corn mixed with water to make a dough,
- the dough shaped into wide and thin rounds,
- cooked to have a crispy exterior and a soft interior
- includes a filling added either before or after cooking

A traditional Venezuelan arepa rellena recipe might go something like this:

Venezuelan Arepas Rellenas
- 2 cups Masarepa blanca (or Masa Harina or white cornmeal)
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1 tsp. baking powder
- 2 ½ cups warm water (or more or less to get a texture you like)
- 1 cup cooked shredded chicken
- 1 ripe avocado cut into chunks
- 2 Tbsp. minced fresh cilantro
- 2 Scallions, sliced thin
- juice from 1 lime
- dash of chili powder
- just enough mayo to bind ingredients together, or to taste

1. Whisk whatever cornmeal you are using with the salt and baking powder.  Add the water and mix to form a dough.  The wetter the dough the lighter arepa will be, but it will also be crumblier, so add water slowly until you get the dough how you want it.
2. Form the dough into whatever size rounds you like, but they should be ½-⅔ inch thick so they can be sliced later.
3. Saute the arepas over medium high heat until they are golden brown on both sides then bake at 400 degrees for 10 minutes.  
4. Mix the remaining ingredients together.  Slice the arepas in half with a sharp knife, put filling inside and eat like a sandwich.

Outside of the ratios for making the arepas, you could change virtually anything about this recipe.  You could just bake them; you could deep fry them; you could grill them.  The same goes for the filling.  You could use carnitas, shredded beef, anything really.  In fact, the first variation I tried used refried beans and cheese.  


Variations
There are a lot of existing variations on the arepa in Latin America.  It is as popular in Columbia as it is in Venezuela.  They have a great breakfast variation where the dough round is formed around a raw egg and then deep-fried cooking the egg in the process.  But it is also found in many other countries like Puerto Rico, where it is made with coconut milk in the dough, and El Salvador, where it is called a Papusa.  I decided to make Papusas because of a few interesting differences in the recipe.  Both include a cornmeal, water, salt, and a filling.  However, the Papusas used Nixtamalized cornmeal (Masa Harina), and cooked them with the filling, refried beans and cheese, already stuffed in.  These arepas were pleasingly lighter than those using masarepa, but had a much stronger corn tortilla flavor.  

El Salvadoran Papusas
- 3 cups masa harina
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1 tsp. baking powder
- 1 ½ cups warm water (or more or less to get to a workable texture)
- 1 cup of grated queso fresco (or mozzarella or farmer’s cheese)
- ½ cup your favorite refried beans (you can use canned if you don’t want to make your own)
- a little shredded cabbage, shredded carrot, and minced jalapeno tossed in a little vinegar and salt to taste
- your favorite red salsa

1. Whisk the masa harina, salt, and baking powder together.  Add the water until you have a dough that does not crumble or crack.  
2. Make the rounds whatever size you like, but make them thin, about ¼ inch.  Add a small amount of cheese and refried beans onto half of the rounds then top with the other half of the rounds and pinch the edges closed.
3. Saute the arepas over medium high heat until they are golden brown on both sides then bake at 400 degrees for 10 minutes.  
4. Top with some of the cabbage/carrot mix and salsa and eat

Experiments
Now that I had made these two arepas I started to think about what new places I could go with them, which was surprisingly easy considering how versatile they are.  I thought about which cuisines use cornmeal and went from there.  The only challenge was making sure that my arepa dough worked each time if I changed what kind of cornmeal I used.




I had an idea for a pulled pork and coleslaw arepa, but instead decided to first make a New England arepa. I used the yellow cornmeal, the kind used to make cornbread, for my New England arepas. These arepas were very delicate raw, but formed very crisp exteriors and doughy interiors. I filled them with a chilled lobster salad, making it seem also like a variation on the classic lobster roll.

New England Arepas
- 2 cups yellow cornmeal
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1 tsp. baking powder
- 1 ½ cups warm water
- 2 Tbsp. mayonnaise
- 2 Tbsp. minced celery
- 1 tsp. lemon juice
- 1 tsp. minced chives
- 1 lb. lobster meat cut into very small pieces

1. Whisk the cornmeal with the salt and baking powder.  Add the water and mix to form a dough.  The wetter the dough the lighter arepa will be, but it will also be crumblier, so add water slowly until you get the dough how you want it.
2. Form the dough into whatever size rounds you like, but they should be ½-⅔ inch thick so they can be sliced later.
3. Saute the arepas over medium high heat until they are golden brown on both sides then bake at 400 degrees for 10 minutes.  
4. Mix the remaining ingredients together.  Slice the arepas in half with a sharp knife, put filling inside and eat like a sandwich.



My final experiment was to go Italian.  I made polenta, formed it into rounds and then sauteed it.  I made a filling of crumbled Italian sausage, peppers, onions, and tomatoes. This dish felt all Italy, though it was inspired by Venezuela.

Italian Arepas
- 2 cups quick-cooking grits
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1 tsp. baking powder
- 1 ½ cups warm water
- 1 red bell pepper, minced
- ½ red onion, minced
- 1 lb. sweet Italian sausage
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tsp. minced fresh thyme
- ½ can petite diced tomatoes, drained
- 1 Tbsp. red wine vinegar

1. Whisk the grits with the salt and baking powder.  Add the water and microwave until the mixture is malleable, but not runny.
2. Form the dough into whatever size rounds you like, but they should be ½-⅔ inch thick so they can be sliced later.
3. Saute the arepas over medium high heat until they are golden brown on both sides then bake at 400 degrees for 10 minutes.  
4. Saute the onions and peppers over medium high heat until just starting to brown.  Add the italian sausage and cook until no longer pink.  Add the garlic and thyme and cook until fragrant.  Add the diced tomatoes and red wine vinegar and cook until most of the liquid is evaporated.  
4. Slice the arepas in half with a sharp knife, put filling inside and eat like a sandwich.

So what about you? Have you ever eaten Arepas before? What is your favorite filling? Are you inspired to try something new? Let me know if you have any good ideas.

Monday, March 3, 2014

Culinary History: Chili Con Carne

One of the most divisive dishes in America is chili con carne. It is practically a religion and it has its zealots.  Aside from about three key ingredients anything you’ll add to it will have someone say that it doesn’t belong there.  So what is chili con carne's history, what is it's essence, and once we understand that, what exciting new variations on it can we create.

History
Though there are some similarities between chili and some Mexican dishes like Pozole or even Aztec recipes, it is generally accepted that chili is an American dish originating in Texas.  We know chili peppers were introduced to the American southwest in the late 1500’s and that transplants from the Canary Islands in the early 1700’s adapted their traditional cuisine using local peppers, garlic, onion, spices, and meat, but no one really knows exactly when or who created what we now think of as Texas red chili.  


Beyond these few inconclusive facts there are countless conjectures and legends.  It isn’t until the early 1800’s that cattle drivers coming out of Texas began popularizing the dish.  Originally dried beef, suet, dried chili peppers, and salt were pounded together into a brick that could be carried along a cattle trail and put into a pot of water to make a quick stew.  Another story goes that a range cook collected fresh herbs along the trail and cooked it with whatever meat he could get ahold of.  Supposedly he even planted chili ingredients along the way so that he would have them upon subsequent journeys.  The dish grew in popularity in Texas, especially in San Antonio where “chili queens” sold by the bowl in the market. It was widely introduced to the rest of the country in the 1893 Chicago world’s fair.  There are lots of other stories in the history of chili that you can read at this excellent site (http://www.chilicookoff.com/history/history_of_chili.asp)




Essence
I think the best way to think about chili con carne is in its name.  It’s chili peppers and meat.  Beyond that, you can do whatever you want with it.  But, I do like to start with this master recipe 

Texas Style Chili Con Carne
  • 3 ancho chili pods (these are dried Poblano peppers)
  • 3 New Mexico chili pods (also called California, these are dried Anaheim peppers)
  • 2 Tbsp. cumin seeds
  • 2 tsp. dried oregano (preferably Mexican)
  • 4 lbs. beef chuck roast cut into 1/2" cubes
  • 1 minced onion
  • 6 minced garlic cloves
  • 4 small or 2 large minced jalapenos, seeds and ribs removed, then minced (unless you want it extra spicy, then leave the seeds and ribs in)
  • 1 cup of crushed tomatoes or tomato sauce
  • juice of 1 lime
  • 3 Tbsp. cornstarch
  • salt and pepper to taste
  1. Toast the chili peppers at 350 degrees for six minutes. When cool enough to handle, cut off the tops and shake out the seeds (unless you want your chili extra spicy). Transfer to a food processor and chop into small pieces.  Toast the cumin seeds over medium heat in a small skillet until fragrant. Transfer the chili pieces and cumin seed into a coffee or spice grinder (wipe it clean first) and process until it is a fine powder. Mix the chili powder, cumin, and oregano with 1/2 cup of water in small bowl and set aside.
  2. Saute onion over medium high heat until softened and starting to brown. Add garlic and jalapeno and saute until fragrant. Add chili/cumin/oregano mixture and saute until fragrant. Add beef, crushed tomatoes or tomato sauce, lime juice, and seven cups of water and bring to a simmer over high heat. Reduce heat so that you get a gentle, but steady simmer and continue simmering for 2 hours.
  3. Remove about 1/2 cup of chili (without any meat) and put in a small bowl with the cornstarch. Whisk it until smooth and then stir it back into the chili. Simmer until thickened (if you like a thicker chili just remove a little more chili without meat and add mix more cornstarch). Adjust salt, pepper, oregano, chili powder, and/or cumin to taste. Serve immediately if desired, but it tastes much better if reheated the next day.
You will notice that it is pretty simple, cubed beef, chilis, onion, garlic, tomato, lime, cumin, oregano, and a little thickener.   I have also substituted the jalapenos for chipotles (smoked jalapenos) and smoked the meat on my grill for an hour before stewing it.  Like all chili, it comes together pretty quick, but tastes best after hours of stewing and then waiting a day to eat it so the flavors can meld.  Usually when I serve this I will keep other common chili ingredients like beans, cheese, sour cream, etc. on the side for those who need them, but keep the chili “pure” for those who are particular about that.



Variations

Now that we understand the core components of a classic chili con carne, what else has already been done with this dish. Well, other than what most northerners think of as "classic chili," (which uses ground meat and includes beans, or a regional variation like Cincinnati chiliWhite chicken chili is probably the most well-established. It was developed sometime probably in the 1970’s as a healthier alternative to red meat.  Chicken chili might seem completely different from a Texas chili con carne, but they are actually remarkably similar.  Both include the same kind of chilis, meat, onions, garlic, cumin, and lime.  The only notable differences are the inclusion of coriander, cilantro, scallions (all of which could be in Texas chili), the omission of tomato (which isn't always in Texas chili recipes), and the use of chicken stock instead of water. However, because it uses fresh chilis instead of dried, it has a much brighter and vegetal flavor than Texas chili.  

White Chicken Chili
  • 3 pounds of bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts
  • 4 small or 2 large minced jalapenos, seeds and ribs removed, then minced (unless you want it extra spicy, then leave the seeds and ribs in)
  • 3 fresh poblano chilis
  • 3 fresh anaheim chilis
  • 1 onion, minced
  • 6 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 Tbsp, ground cumin
  • 1/2 Tbsp, ground coriander
  • 2, 14.5 oz. cans of drained and rinsed white beans
  • 3 cups chicken broth
  • juice from 1 lime
  • 1/4 cup minced cilantro
  • 4 scallions sliced thin
  • salt and pepper to taste
  1. Process the poblanos, anaheims, and onion in a food processor into a puree.
  2. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Heat 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil over medium high heat and saute chicken skin side down until golden brown. Using tongs, turn chicken skin side up and saute until golden brown. Remove the chicken. Add the chili/onion puree, jalapenos, garlic, cumin, and coriander to the hot oil and saute until the vegetables are softened and starting to brown.
  3. Transfer 1 cup of the cooked vegetables to the food processor with 1 cup of beans and 1 cup of broth and puree until smooth. Transfer this mixture back to the pot and add the remaining 2 cups of broth and the chicken breasts. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium low, cover, and cook for 20 minutes.
  4. Transfer chicken to a plate. Add remaining beans to pot and simmer for 10 minutes. When chicken is cool enough to handle shred it with your fingers into small pieces. Stir shredded chicken, cilantro, scallions, and lime juice into chili. Adjust salt, pepper, cumin, and/or coriander to taste and serve.
Experiments

With these two chilis under my belt (because I ate them) I started thinking about what new places I could take this dish, which can seem a little daunting at first. For both iterations I decided to use the Texas chili con carne as the foundation and make changes from there. The important thing to remember is that the process stays the same and I am either substituting, omitting, or adding ingredients. I substituted different kids of meat for beef, I added additional spices along with the garlic and chili peppers, I omitted ingredients that didn't seem to fit into a particular cuisine. But in the end, I sauteed some ingredients, added liquid, stewed for two hours, then adjusted the seasonings to taste at the end.



The first thought I had was that chili is just a few ingredients shy of being a curry. I substituted lamb shoulder for beef, omitted the oregano, and added cinnamon, turmeric, coriander, and ginger to taste in addition to the cumin and chili powder.  Because lamb shoulder is hard to get off the bone I stewed whole bone-in shoulder steaks, making it much easier to cut the meat off the bone after it was already tender. The inclusion of American chili powder definitely kept it in a chili framework, but the spices made it taste similar to a Tikka Masala without the dairy.


Indian Style Lamb Chili Curry
  • 3 ancho chili pods
  • 3 New Mexico chili pods
  • 2 Tbsp. cumin seeds
  • 1/2 Tbsp. cinnamon
  • 1/2 Tbsp. turmeric
  • 2 Tbsp. coriander
  • 4.5 lbs. bone-in lamb shoulder chops
  • 1 minced onion
  • 6 minced garlic cloves
  • 1 inch piece of ginger, peeled and grated
  • 4 small or 2 large minced jalapenos, seeds and ribs removed, then minced (unless you want it extra spicy, then leave the seeds and ribs in)
  • 1 cup of crushed tomatoes or tomato sauce
  • juice of 1 lime
  • 3 Tbsp. cornstarch
  • salt and pepper to taste
  1. Toast the chili peppers at 350 degrees for six minutes. When cool enough to handle, cut off the tops and shake out the seeds (unless you want your chili extra spicy). Transfer to a food processor and chop into small pieces.  Toast the cumin seeds over medium heat in a small skillet until fragrant. Transfer the chili pieces and cumin seed into a coffee or spice grinder (wipe it clean first) and process until it is a fine powder. Mix the chili powder, cumin, cinnamon, coriander, and turmeric with 2/3 cup of water in small bowl and set aside.
  2. Saute onion over medium high heat until softened and starting to brown. Add garlic, ginger, and jalapeno and saute until fragrant. Add chili/cumin/oregano mixture and saute until fragrant. Add lamb, crushed tomatoes or tomato sauce, lime juice, and seven cups of water and bring to a simmer over high heat. Reduce heat so that you get a gentle, but steady simmer and continue simmering for 2 hours.
  3. Remove the shoulder steaks, separate the meat from the bone, and cut into 1/2" cubes. Remove about 1/2 cup of chili (without any meat) and put in a small bowl with the cornstarch. Whisk it until smooth and then stir it back into the chili. Simmer until thickened (if you like a thicker chili just remove a little more chili without meat and add mix more cornstarch). Adjust salt, pepper, chili powder, cumin, cinnamon, coriander, and/or turmeric to taste. Serve immediately if desired, but it tastes much better if reheated the next day.


My final chili experiment was my favorite, a Thai pork chili.  I substituted fish sauce for salt, thai curry paste for chili powder, and pork shoulder for beef chuck. I omitted cumin, oregano, and tomato and added ginger, mint, cilantro, coconut milk solids, and sriracha to taste.  This dish had the meat to sauce ratio of Texas chili, but otherwise was worlds different. The fish sauce, mint, and cilantro were bright, reminding me more of my chicken chili, and the coconut milk solids gave it a unique orange color. If you want this dish to be more like chili I would leave out the sriracha and replace with it chili powder. But, it was amazing and I will definitely be adding it to my regular rotation.

Thai Style Pork Chili
  • 1 minced onion
  • 1 4 oz. jar of thai curry paste
  • 4 lbs. pork shoulder cut into 1/2" cubes
  • 6 minced garlic cloves
  • 2 inch piece of ginger, peeled and grated
  • 4 small or 2 large minced jalapenos, seeds and ribs removed, then minced (unless you want it extra spicy, then leave the seeds and ribs in)
  • juice of 1 lime
  • 2 cans of coconut milk, refrigerated overnight.
  • 3 Tbsp. cornstarch
  • 1/4 cup minced fresh mint leaves
  • 1/4 cup minced cilantro leaves
  • fish sauce to taste
  • sriracha to taste
  1. Saute onion over medium high heat until softened and starting to brown. Add garlic, ginger, and jalapeno and saute until fragrant. Add curry paste and saute until fragrant. Add pork, lime juice, and seven cups of water and bring to a simmer over high heat. Reduce heat so that you get a gentle, but steady simmer and continue simmering for 2 hours.
  2. Pour out the liquid from the refrigerated coconut milk and add the solids left in the can to the chili. Remove about 1/2 cup of chili (without any meat) and put in a small bowl with the cornstarch. Whisk it until smooth and then stir it back into the chili. Simmer until thickened (if you like a thicker chili just remove a little more chili without meat and add mix more cornstarch). Add mint, cilantro, fish sauce to taste, and sriracha to taste. Serve immediately if desired, but it tastes much better if reheated the next day.
So what about you? Do you already do something interesting with chili? Are you inspired to try something new? Let me know if you have any good ideas.