Karens Chili For A Party Food

CHILIVILLE CHILI

Steps:

• In a 6 to 8 quart saucepan or Dutch oven, brown the sausage and ground beef over medium heat, breaking it up as you cook it. Cook it until it is no longer pink.
• Drain the extra fat.
• Add the onions, celery, and garlic, and cook, stirring regularly, for 5 minutes.
• Add the tomatoes, beans, tomato paste, sugar, chile powder, Worcestershire sauce, cumin, and red pepper flakes. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer, cover, and cook for 20 minutes.
• Mix the reserved broth and cornstarch to dissolve, and add it to the simmering chili. Cook, uncovered, stirring, until just slightly thickened, about 2 to 5 minutes.
• You can serve this immediately, or let it cool, refrigerate, and reheat it later. I think it is even better the next day.

KAREN'S PHILLY CHILI

Steps:

• Brown meat over medium heat in a large pot or dutch oven and drain grease.
• Add Onion and Garlic and when transparent, add Chili Powder.
• Cook about 5 minutes and then add remaining ingredients.
• Simmer, uncovered for about 2 hours, stirring occasionally, until desired consistency.
• Serve with cheese, onions and sour cream for toppings if desired.

CHILI FOR A CROWD

Steps:

• In 8-quart Dutch oven or stockpot, cook beef and onions over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until beef is thoroughly cooked and onions are tender; drain.
• Stir in tomatoes, bean liquid, tomato sauce, chili powder, sugar and salt, breaking up tomatoes. Heat to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer uncovered 1 1/4 hours.
• Stir in beans. Simmer uncovered about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until desired consistency.
• Heat oven to 350°F. Cut off the tops of bread loaves. Scoop out bread from the loaves, leaving a 1-inch thick wall. Brush the insides of the loaves with olive oil. Place on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake about 5 minutes or until light golden brown. Place on serving plates. Spoon chili into bread bowls.

CHILLI FOR A CROWD

Steps:

• If using dried beans and not freezing the chilli, rinse and pick over the beans, then soak them overnight in plenty of water. Rinse again, and tip into a large pan with enough water to cover by 5cm and bring to the boil. Boil briskly for 10 mins, then turn down the heat and simmer gently for 30 mins or until tender. Drain and set aside.
• Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy-based lidded pan and brown the pork, then the beef, in 4 batches, scooping into a bowl as you go. Slice the bacon into strips. Add to the empty pan and cook gently to begin with, raising the heat as the bacon crisps. Scoop the bacon out of the pan, stir in the onions, garlic, celery and the bay leaves, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are soft but hardly coloured - about 20 mins.
• Quarter the lemons lengthways, cut out the pithy core and remove the seeds. Chop into very small pieces, each with a bit of peel. Stir the chilli powder, cumin and oregano into the onions and stir-fry for a couple of mins, then return the meat, adding the tomato purée, chopped tomatoes, lemon, wine and stock. Stir as the dish heats up, then simmer, covered, for 1 hr 30 mins. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Can be frozen at this stage for up to 1 month - defrost overnight in the fridge before continuing with the recipe.
• Add the beans to the pan - if you're using canned beans, rinse them first. Cook, uncovered, for a further 30 mins. Can be cooled at this stage and kept covered in the fridge for 24 hrs.
• Tip the soured cream into a bowl, snip the chives into small pieces then scatter them over the soured cream, cover and refrigerate until serving.
• To make the guacamole, halve the avocados lengthways, remove the stone and use a fork to mash the flesh into its shell. Scoop out into a bowl, mashing further if necessary (I like it lumpy). Add the chillies, onions and the garlic crushed to a paste with a little salt. Squeeze over the juice of 3 limes, season with black pepper and add the chopped coriander. Mix, adding extra lime juice to taste. Cover with cling film, allowing it to touch the surface. Chill until required.
• To prepare the couscous, boil the kettle and measure 750ml water into a mixing bowl. Add the lemon juice, olive oil and couscous. Stir, cover with cling film and leave to soak for 30 mins, then fluff up with a fork.
• Prepare the corn chips up to 1 hr before serving. Spread the chips on baking sheets, scatter over the cheese and place under a hot grill for 2-4 mins until molten and crusty. Transfer to a serving bowl. Serve with the chilli, couscous, guacamole, soured cream and chives and some coriander leaves sprinkled over the top, if you like.