Ancho Chipotle Chili

The finished product.

My friends and I go snowboarding on Fridays. Yesterday morning I threw together a pot of chili in the slow cooker before lecture so that we'd have something tasty to come home to after we got done at the mountain.

This chili recipe is the result of a fair bit of experimentation and yields a very hearty, smoky, and spicy chili that most people can't get enough of.

The undesputed stars of the show here are the peppers. After trying out a handful of different combinations, I have settled on Ancho chiles and Chipotle Chiles in adobo sauce. The Ancho (also known as poblano) chiles add sweetness and nuttiness while the chipotle chiles add heat and smokiness.

A whole ancho pepper atop the tea tin in which they live

Where to get 'em? Chipotle Peppers in Adobo Sauce are available in 6oz cans in the Latin American aisle of most supermarkets. I get my Ancho Chiles in dried form from my local Aldi. I would assume that they are available the typical 'foodie' stores like Trader Joes or Whole Foods as well.

[a note about canned Chipotle Peppers: There is significant flavor variation across the brands of canned chipotle peppers. The three that I have seen available at grocery stores are San Marco, Goya, and Embassa. Of these, the Embassa is the spiciest while the San Marco is the smokiest (and in my opinion best) with Goya falling somewhere in the middle. If given the choice, I prefer to use either San Marco or Goya.]

The recipe:

1 lb ground beef
2 15 oz cans red kidney beans (drained)
1 15 oz can whole kernel sweet corn (drained)
1 28 oz can diced tomatoes (preferably not seasoned)
1 chopped Dried Ancho Chile Pepper (with seeds)
2 Chipotle Peppers in Adobo Sauce
1 tbsp. Adobo Sauce from the Chipotle Peppers
1 Onion coursely chopped
1 tbsp Cumin
1 tbsp Chili Powder
1 tbsp. Garlic Powder
1 tbsp. Salt

Throw everything into a slow cooker, mix, and cook on Low for 6 hours. I serve it in a bowl with a handful of shredded sharp cheddar and fresh cornbread.

I have found that this recipe (like most stews) tastes much better on the next day so leftovers are definitely a good thing.

Enjoy.

-Gordo

Slow Cooker Roasted Chicken

I got a new slow cooker this past November and have been using it fairly frequently. Twice a week, I throw something together before going to class or work and have a hot meal waiting when I'm done. This morning, I modified this recipe to my own tastes. The result made for good dinner and even tastier chicken salad the next day.

The bird!!

1 5lb roasting chicken (defrosted)

The rub!!

2 tsb paprika
2 tsb cumin
Salt and Pepper

I washed and dried the chicken and removed any giblets. I then proceeded to season the chicken, I applied ample rub to the cavity, skin, and between the skin and meat of the chicken. Don't be bashful with the rub, you'll be glad later.

The original calls for the chicken to be on a raised on a bed of aluminum foil balls. While I like the idea of a chicken actually roasting instead of just wallowing in its juices, the idea of using balls of aluminum sounds silly when you could have a very tasty bed of vegetables instead.

The veggies!!

A handful of washed baby redskin potatoes
2 Carrots chopped into 1.5 inch chunks
1 Quartered medium white cooking onion.
1/2 cup chicken stock [Better than Bullion is the next best thing to home-made stock]

I put down the veggies, poured in the broth, and put the chicken on top.

The original calls for cooking the bird on high for an hour. 'High' for a slow cooker equates to around 200 degrees F, which is nowhere near hot enough to do anything useful like crisping up the skin or searing the meat. As such, I left this step out. As I type this, the bird is roasting on low for a planned 5.5 hours.

Enjoy.

-Gordo

Finally!!!

I have intended to start a food blog for a while now. During my junior year of college, my fraternity fired its chef. In the year and a half that followed, my friends Melissa, Dave, and I took turns cooking for one another. We experimented with new ingredients and recipes at almost daily dinners either at the frat house or at people's apartments.

Cooking had forced us to slow down. Meals became a pleasure instead of a chore. For that last year and a half of undergrad, we had an hour almost every day which was devoted to nothing but savoring good company, music, wine, and of course... food.

As time / jobs / educations have scattered people across the US of A, most of my friends have returned to normal culinary habits where eating is treated as something akin to refueling a car. For my part, I have continued to be fascinated with food and savor the opportunity to experiment with foods and share those experiences with others.... hence... this blog.

-Gordo