FOOD - Gringo Chile - by Request

[Irascible]

Gringo Chili
(Suitable for Children, Women and The Faint of Heart)
Irascible Curmudgeon


This recipe is mildly spicy and of course, the flavor will improve overnight.

Ingredients
2 teaspoons of lard, butter, bacon drippings or oil (Olive oil preferred)
½ medium onion, coarsely chopped
1- 1 ½ pound of ground meat (course chili grind preferred)
2 tablespoons of ground hot red chile
1 tablespoon of ground mild red chile
¾ teaspoon of dried oregano (preferably Mexican)
¾ teaspoon of ground cumin
2 medium cloves of garlic, finely chopped or pressed
2 10 ½ oz cans of tomatoes soup
1 10 ½ oz can of onion soup
2 16 oz cans of kidney beans, drained
Optional Ingredients
½ teaspoon of salt (optional)
½ teaspoon of celery salt (optional)
1 bell pepper coarsely chopped (optional)
Shredded cheddar cheese for garnish
Sour cream for garnish
Corn bread on the side

To prepare;
1. Mix the dry ingredients in a cup and set aside
2. Melt the lard, butter or drippings (or place oil) in a large heavy pot over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook until the onion is translucent.
3. Combine the combine the meat and the dry ingredients, then add this meat and spice mixture to the pot. Break up any lumps with a fork and cook, stirring occasionally, until the meat is evenly browned.
4. Stir in the tomato soup, onion soup, beans and bell pepper (if used). Bring mixture to a boil and then lower heat and simmer, uncovered, for ½ to ¾ hour letting the mixture thicken. Taste and adjust seasonings.

Serves 4-5

[AmBraCol]

I guess it's called "Gringo" chili 'cause of all the cans used. No part of REAL chilli has ever seen the inside of a can.

You start with a pound of dry beans and build from there - unless you're a texican in which case you roar "BEANS DON'T BELONG IN CHILI!!!!!!" then go out and shoot the closest critter to serve as the base.

[coyote nose]

No part of REAL chilli has ever seen the inside of a can.

ALL the chili I eat comes from a can. (Hey...I am single).

[AmBraCol]

ALL the chili I eat comes from a can. (Hey...I am single).

Way back when I was single I cooked up all kinds of stuff. Having been raised in S. America, far from united statian type conveniences, I'd NO idea how to "eat from a can". So stuff was cooked up from scratch. The problem WAS that I came from a family of seven - and cooking for one as opposed to seven is a WHOLE 'NOTHER TALE. Anyway, I'd mix up a batch of stew and eat it for a couple of days, get tired of it, pack it in lil' ziplock baggies and into the freezer it'd go. Then I'd whip up a new batch oc something else, eat it for a couple days and the left overs went into the freezer. Sometimes I'd have three or four versions of stew fixed up in baggies in the freezer. Then I'd pick an older version out of the freezer, toss it in the skillet to warm up and it'd be better than ever. Beans? Fixed from scratch, just like mom taught me. Those would stay in a bowl in the fridge until gone. Supper on my way to work (worked evenings) was often a (store bought ) tortilla wrapped around a bunch of cold beans and washed down with a fifteen cent can of pop from Aldi's.

We now use SOME canned stuff, but mostly tomato paste and occasional peaches. Here in Colombia canned stuff is HIGH in price and fresh fruits and vegetables are relatively cheap. We can pick up enough fruits and veggies to last us two or three weeks for about $20 US. So even though we're now back to just the two of us, we still cook from scratch. It's all in how you're raised, I guess. That and what you have available. Thank God we've got all kinds of fresh stuff available. Better tasting and better for us I'm sure.

[Bruce Scott]

I'm going to try that recipe. The amount of hot chillies seems on the high side but my experience of hot is with the Thai Bird's Eyes. I gues I'll need to experiment -

[FWiedner]

That's chili flavored bean soup.

Real chili doesn't have beans in it.

[bogus bill]

You forgot elbo macororne!

[Irascible]

It really isn't the chille powder that makes it hot. Notice there isnt any Jalapenos, Habenaros, etc. included. This is actually a fairley mild recipe

[Rimfire McNutjob]

... You start with a pound of dry beans and build from there ...

Ummm, I thought you were supposed to start with bacon.