Super Bowl Chili

Sorry for the long hiatus, I had lots of visitors last week/weekend which means I was busy entertaining, and going out to restaurants...so not really cooking too much. My mom came last week and we went to dinner at Sepia in the West Loop. It was delicious, and has a beautiful bar in the front of the restaurant. My sister and cousin visited over the weekend and we went to Adobo Grilll and Quartino, which were both great. I think Quartino is my favorite restaurant here so far, it's a bistro atmosphere with amazing Italian food and it's soooo affordable. We also discovered Clark Street Ale House, a great bar with an amazing beer selection just a few blocks away from our apartment. We'll definitely be back.

Anyway, last night the Saints won the Super Bowl, yay! I'm a Jets fan, but I wanted the Saints to win. I made a chili recipe which has become one of my favorite cold weather meals, I think this is the 3rd or 4th time I've made it this winter. I can't take credit for it, the recipe is from Emeril, but I made just a few adjustments to it. His recipe calls for turkey but I prefer to use beef, and also uses cream which I skip. It's kind of spicy, so watch out! Cut back on the jalapeno or chili powder if you don't like it too hot. Also, I usually cut this recipe in half because I'm almost always cooking for only 2 people.



2 cans cannellini beans
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups chopped yellow onion
2 tablespoons minced jalapeno
2 tablespoons minced garlic
2 1/2 pounds ground turkey or beef
2 tablespoons Emeril's Southwest Essence, recipe follows
1 2/3 tablespoons chili powder
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano, crumbled
1 bay leaf
3 tablespoons cornmeal
3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
2 (10-ounce) cans Ro'tel Diced Tomatoes and Green Chiles (original), undrained
2 (4-ounce) cans diced green chiles, undrained

In a deep skillet, heat the oil and saute the onion and jalapeno until soft and beginning to caramelize, 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Add the meat, Southwest Essence, chili powder, salt, cumin, oregano, and bay leaf and cook, stirring occasionally, until meat is browned and cooked through, 6 minutes. Add the cornmeal and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Add the chicken broth, canned tomatoes, and canned chiles and stir to combine. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer, and cook, uncovered, for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the beans and cook, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes longer.

Serve the chili in deep bowls, garnish with sour cream, grated Cheddar cheese, cilantro, green onions and/or jalapeno to taste.


Emeril's Southwest Seasoning:

2 tablespoons chili powder
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 tablespoons paprika
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon dried oregano

Combine all ingredients thoroughly.