Pantry Chili

This is my ultimate go-to meal.  Partially because it throws together so quickly with such little effort, and partially because it is so easily adapted to whatever is in my pantry. I am almost hesitant to write it all down, for fear of removing some of the spontaneity that I so enjoy... I'll do my best to convey the basics without losing the versatility that I love so much.

Ingredients:

Ground meat; the other measurements are based on about 1 pound.  It turns out equally well with white or red meat, from beef to turkey; venison is probably my favorite.

Beans; canned is easiest two 15oz cans, drained. But dried beans can be rehydrated in water overnight.  Anything from kidney, garbanzo, pinto, or black beans-- again, versatility is key!

Vegetables; I prefer equal parts meat and veggies, but the quantity is up to you, just adjust the liquids later so it's the right consistency.  Carrots, celery, mushrooms, and bell peppers are common choices from my kitchen.  For a vegetarian recipe, skip the meat and double the veggies!

Onion; this is really the only one I can't get around, somehow it's just not chili if you don't start with that fantastic onion base.

Spices; this is where the real fun happens.  I'm not sure I've ever used the same blend of spices more than once. I always start with my homemade Italian Seasoning (a blend of oregano, thyme, sage, rosemary, and marjoram), about 2 tablespoons, then I'll add anywhere from 1/2-1 tablespoon of any combination of the following: Cumin, Curry Powder, Coriander, Fennel Seed, Celery Seed, Whole Bay Leaves, Fresh or Powdered Garlic.  This is all about your senses, mix them together in a seperate bowl until you've got an aroma you like and then sprinkle it in slowly so as not to overpower the other flavors.  I always save my left over spice mix for a good steak rub later in the week.

Tomatoes; fresh or canned, it's up to you.  For canned, I use one 15oz can of diced petite tomatoes juice and all, and one 8oz can tomato sauce.  For fresh, I'll use about 4-6 tomatoes diced over a bowl to catch all the juices.  But I'm not a big tomato fan for my chili, so this ends up on the pretty light side.

Broth, preferably.  You can use water, but it's just not as dynamic of a flavor that way.  I choose my broth to match my base, red meat gets beef; light meat gets chicken, and of course vegetarian gets vegetable stock.  The quantity depends on how thick or thin you like your chili but I'd say minimum 1 pint, maximum 1 quart.  Where you fall is up to you!

Olive oil. Yep, that's the one simple ingredient... and well, it doesn't even have to be olive! Any kind of cooking oil will do.

Directions:

Start by chopping your onion into medium to large sized pieces.

Heat 1 tbs oil in a large pot, preferably an enamel coated one, although cast iron or crock pots work well too.

Toss in your onion and begin cooking for about 2 minutes.

Once onion starts to soften add in your ground meat and brown.

Next toss in your "hard" veggies, like carrots, celery, etc.

Cook for about 2 minutes, then add in your spices, tomatoes, and any other veggies you want.  Stir until everything is mixed and equally coated in spices.

Now for the beans you have two options, option #1 is toss them in as is with everything else, this is for a thinner chili.  Option #2 is toss 1/2 into the pot, and the other 1/2 into a food blender to puree.  This will give you a thicker base for your chili, it's good either way, so this is just preference.

Now, everything but your liquid should be in the pot.  Pour it in slowly because you don't want to end up with soup.  Add about 1 cup more liquid than you think you'll need because some will evaporate.  But don't stress about it too much, if you think it's getting too thick-- add more later.

Now you get to hurry up and wait.  Cover your pot and bring it to a happy simmer.  Let it cook until all the vegetables are tender, usually about 20-30 minutes.  This is the perfect time to whip up some cornbread to go with it!

Once it's done, serve it up hot! Topped with some sour cream and cheddar cheese makes a a fantastic throw-together dinner.

Enjoy!

Homemade Gnocchi

Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 70 minutes
Yield: 4 servings


Ingredients: 
2-3 Large Russet Potatoes (should be about 2 pounds)
1 egg
1 cup flour
salt and pepper to taste


Directions:
.
Begin by bringing a pot of water to boil; salted generously. Boil the potatoes (skin and all) until fully cooked, about 40-60 minutes.  


Once the potatoes are ready, remove them from the water one at a time and peel them as quickly as possible.  The skin will come off easily, but they will be incredibly hot. I find a dish towel to hold the potato and a spoon or paring knife to slide off the skin works best.  


Once they are all peeled, break them up with a fork until you have a fluffy pile of potato mash.  If you have one, this is a great opportunity to use a potato ricer; although I've long decided this is a useless tool that simply takes up space in my kitchen.  A fork does the job just fine though. 


Once you've got your  potato fluff you have to wait for it to cool.  It's best if you do this patiently and just let it sit spread out; putting it in the fridge will work, but I find the finished product just isn't as good. 


Measure out your flour and season it with salt and pepper, place it in a bowl near your working surface. 


When the potato fluff is at room temperature, or at least cool enough to not cook the egg; push it all into a pile and make a well in the center.  Pour the scrambled egg into the well. 


Begin mixing the dough by hand and gradually add the flour a generous pinch at a time.  Continuing adding flour until you have a crumbly dough (about 3/4 cup).  Then, kneed the dough gently until it just begins to get smooth, continue adding the remainder of the flour until the dough is no longer sticky.  


Once your dough is formed, cut it into 4 section.  Roll each section into a long cord about the thickness of your thumb.  Cut it into sections, about the same size as your thumb print. 


Dust with a little more flour if needed to keep them from sticking. 


When you're ready to eat them; bring a fresh pot to a boil and salt it.  Drop the gnocchi into the water, 10-15 at a time.  You want them to have enough space to float freely and not stick together.  They will sink to the bottom and after about 30 seconds, they'll rise to the surface of the water.  Let them float for about 10-20 seconds then pull them from the water using a slotted spoon. 


Serve immediately. 

Poulet Bonne Femme

This is actually a recipe that I adapted from a Basque classic that I've had all my life; it's a simpler recipe than that of my ancestors, but this dish has become a staple in my menu planning and I hope it joins yours as well!


Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Yield: 8 servings


Ingredients: 


1 whole chicken; cut up
1 tbs butter
1 tbs olive oil
1/4 cup shallots, finely diced
1 tbs parsley
1/2 cup white wine
Salt and pepper to taste


Directions:


Start with a pan that only just fits all the chicken in a single layer, with as little space between them as possible. 


Melt the butter and heat the olive oil (substitute butter with more olive oil for a healthier recipe) over medium heat.  Season the chicken with salt and pepper; then brown on all sides once pan is hot.  Remove chicken and set aside.  


Add shallots to the pan and cook until translucent; about 3 minutes.Then, add the wine and parsley and scrape up any bits stuck to the bottom of your pan.  Bring to a simmer.  


Return the chicken to the pan, turning it several times to coat in the sauce. 


Reduce heat to medium low to maintain a light simmer. 


Cover and continue cooking until the chicken is cooked through.  Turning occasionally to make sure it evenly absorbs the sauce.  


Once the chicken is fully cooked, remove it from the pan and arrange it on your serving platter.  Turn up the heat on the pan to high and stir the sauce constantly to reduce it slightly; about 2 minutes. 


Pour the sauce over the chicken and serve immediately. 


This recipe is wonderful served over Homemade Gnocchi. 

Beets with Citrus Vinaigrette

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 60 minutes 
Yield: 4 servings

This recipe is portioned for four medium sized beets, but can easily be adjusted for any size portions.  

Ingredients:

2 tbs olive oil

2 tbs balsamic vinegar

1 tbs orange juice, fresh squeezed

1 tbs lemon juice, fresh squeezed

¼ cup diced shallots

1 tsp orange zest

1 tsp lemon zest

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Begin by preparing Basic Beets

While beets are cooking, assemble the dressing.

Combine oil, vinegar, and juice, briskly whisk together until completely emulsified. You’ll know when it’s done because it won’t separate when you stop whisking.  

Stir in remaining ingredients.

Cut beets into bite sized cubes.

Chill beets and dressing separately until just before you’re ready to serve.

When ready, toss with just enough dressing to coat.  Serve immediately.

The tartness of the vinaigrette can be lightened by adding 1 tsp sugar, or using a meyer lemon. 

Orange and/or lemon can also be substituted with limes or grapefruits.

Using different flavored vinegars is also a great way to customize this recipe to your own tastes.

The Basics: Beets

Beets are really a two part ingredient it is made up of a fleshy bulb or root, and the course leaves which are similar to swiss chard.   Today I’m going to focus on the preparation of the roots.   This bright purple bulb is mildly sweet and has a great nutty undertone to their soft texture.  It’s a perfect accompaniment to a spring salad, but is just as delicious when it stands alone.

Brief Instructions:

1.       Preheat oven to 400F.

2.       Wash and trim beets then wrap each loosely in aluminum foil.

3.       Place on a cookie sheet and bake for 30 min to 2 hours, depending on size.

4.       Remove from oven and let cool.

5.       Peel skin and serve as desired.

Detailed Instructions:

To begin the process, you need to know how to choose beets when they are in the store.  They are usually packaged in bunches of 3-4 stems.  Each root should be approximately the same size, for even cooking.  They should be dark purple in color and firm when squeezed, but not rock hard.  Their surface should not have any deep gouges or scratches, it should appear unbroken.  The leaves should be crisp and without discoloration or bruising. 

Once you have your beets at home, trim the leaves about one inch above the base.  Do not discard the leaves; they can be used in a variety of ways which I will discuss further in another post. Rinse the beets in cold water, to ensure no dirt remains; rub them with your fingers to clean, but don’t scrub them, you don’t want to break the skin because they’ll lose their juices while cooking that way. 

Some beets have a long “tail” at their base, leave it in place for now; again you want to skin to be unbroken.

Once each beet is cleaned and trimmed, place it on a square if aluminum foil and wrap it very loosely. Place all the wrapped beets in a baking sheet and place them in a 400F oven.

The time it takes to cook them completely depends greatly on their size; I start with 30 minutes per inch of diameter.  For example 4 beets with 2 ½” diameters would probably take about 60-90 minutes.  If you’re roasting more than 4, they will take longer. 

The easiest way to tell if a beet is done is to stab it with a fork or sharp knife, it should slide in easily. You can also squeeze them with a pair of tongs; it should feel soft, but not mushy.

When they are done cooking, remove the tray from the oven and let cool. 

Once they are cool enough to handle; slide the skin and top stem off, they should come off easily.  This is the time to trim any “tails” if you want.

They are now ready to serve.  They can be sliced and served plain, or with a touch of salt and pepper.  Or they can be cubed and tossed into a salad.

For other ideas, try some of these recipes:

Beets with Citrus Vinaigrette 

The Basics

For many things, there’s a basic recipe I use to start with, and then I embellish it each time I make it.  So, I decided a good place to start would be with a Basics Series outlining simple cooking techniques for a variety of ingredients.  This can be a great starting point for beginning cooks, or a master recipe for more experienced cooks. 

The key to the Basics Series is that they are as simple and versatile as possible; meant only to get started.  Then, once you have the prepared ingredient, you can add it to another dish, or combine other flavors with it to make something uniquely yours.

The pleasures of cooking for me come in the creativity of taking simple ingredients and turning them into something extraordinary.

I’ll always include two sets of instructions, the first is a simple overview of the whole process; the second is a more detailed description and will eventually include photos as time allows.  I find it much easier to follow a recipe the second time I read through it because I have an idea of what’s coming next.  So, consider the brief instructions a “sneak preview” for those of you trying this for the first time, or a quick refresher for the more seasoned chef.

Enjoy!