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Wednesday, August 1, 2012

Stems, Seeds and Lots of Dirty Dishes

Today was a busy day.  I made a dish that I only make every so often.  It is one of those labor intensive dishes.  Chili Con Carne.  This isn't your average ground meat and beans kind of dish.  I do make that -- call it chili.  This one is CHILI CON CARNE.  
It starts early in the day roasting the chilies.

Letting them cool, I then roasted cumin seeds


Kitchen already smelling wonderful! 

 I did have an obstacle, my shadow Newton.   He wants to be nearby, always.


After the chilies and cumin cools, into the grinder they go.


The best way to do this is in small portions, removing seeds and stems from the chilies.


Mix Mexican Oregano and the ground chilies and cumin together, add water and let bloom.  


This recipe comes from Cook's Illustrated and it ingredient heavy.  All good flavors, building on each other.  The meat is cut and ready to go into the pot, small amounts at a time.  It is browned in bacon fat.  (Nobody said it was low fat!) 


Limes, garlic, onion, jalapenos, masa flour for thickening, and bacon

More stems and seeds..........boy did my fingers tingle all day after cutting these babies!


Meat browning, creating that delicious fond on the bottom of the pot.


Onions go in the pot after all the meat is browned.  


The chili mixture, jalapenos and garlic go next.


I did mention a lot of dirty dishes didn't I?  A bowl for raw meat, a bowl for cooked meat, a bowl for chili mixture, a cookie sheet, a frying pan, a juicer, raw meat cutting board, veggie cutting board, grinder, lots of knives, and spoons.


Add the meat back in, tomatoes, bacon, water and simmer for hours on end.  


I was so happy to sit down to eat that I forgot to get a picture of the whole meal!  This is seconds!


Dinner included pinto beans and corn bread, and some grated cheese to dress the Chili Con Carne.  




Empty bowls all around!! 


This is a rich, flavorful dinner, and a lot of work-- but well worth it.  Yummmmm

Found a link to the recipe outside of Cook's Illustrated's webpage. 
and the cornbread recipe--


©Copyright 2012 Janet. All rights reserved. Content created by Janet for The Queen of Seaford. words and photos by Janet,The Queen of Seaford.

30 comments:

  1. Oh Janet! That sounds so delicious! I have a similar situation with dishes when I make short ribs. But they are so good. I bet the meat is just so tender in your dish.

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    1. Thanks Alison! I will have to see if I can find the recipe for the short ribs!! Yes, the meat is super tender!!

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  2. It's rocket science for me! You are good, Janet!

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    1. Tatyana, no...not rocket science!!! Just a lot of time, and lots of kitchen utensils.

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  3. This looks delicious and something my husband would love. I will have to try to make this...maybe when the weather cools down. I'm not much for cooking when it is so hot outside.

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    1. Karin, it is yummmmy! I usually make this in the winter, but daughter wanted to try it!

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  4. It looks and sounds delicious...

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  5. Now this is a coincidence. That is exactly what I had planned for dinner tonight for my husband. My recipe is much different with both sausage and hamburger, but I top it with cheese too. Funny thing is, I don't eat this dish (too spicy) and will probably have a hamburger instead. I have a cool way of making a plain old hamburger that I may share sometime. It is kinda of a diet/low carb burger wrapped in fresh leaf lettuce (shaped like any wrap) rather than bread. The filling is what makes the burger special.

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    1. Donna@GWGT, I can't believe we made the same thing!! too funny. I think sausage would be a great addition. I don't think of mine as being spicy....just full flavored. Check out the posting again...I put the link to the chili and cornbread recipe on the posting.

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  6. Hi Janet, I have made chili before, but never Chili Con Carne. I think it is the little things that you did, like toasting the cumin seeds, and cooking the meat in bacon fat, that would make this extra good. No wonder everyone went in for seconds!

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    1. Jennifer, you are right, it was a tasty dish, seconds for all!! See the posting for the links for the recipe.

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  7. Janet, This looks wonderful, dirty dishes and all.

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  8. omg, Janet ~ this is a meal to charge for!! lol It looks & sounds amazing, I've never made it nor had any idea how involved it is. I've been doing such little cooking this summer it's embarrassing. I will be ready to get back at it once we cool down. Your family is so lucky to enjoy all your culinary efforts.
    ps. my dog does stay in the pathways ~ he's not an "off-road" dog at all!!
    p.s.s. Do you put your orchids outside in the summer? I haven't ever before but this year I was so frustrated with those Carter & Holmes orchids (that have never done anything)I decided I wasn't out much if I lost them by doing so. They are in full shade but guess what? Two tiny buds are forming! I wish I'd done it sooner if that's what it took!

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    1. Kathleen, charge for?? hahahah!!! It is a bit involved to make, but oh wow, is it good!!
      ps- good for your dog! Mine are rude.
      pss- I have my orchids on the screened porch, no buds or blooms so far.....I am glad yours have some buds!!

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  9. Dang, that looks good! We eat regular chili with beans over white rice, loaded with sour cream and cheddar. I'm sure your house smelled amazing!!

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    1. Tammy, dang it is great!! We eat that kind of chili often too! Yes, the house was so fragrant.

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  10. I don't think I've ever had chili con carne. What a process to make it all and I bet it is so delicious!

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  11. I can see why you don't make this very often, but it looks delicious! My eyes are already watering just thinking about chopping all those jalapenos and chili peppers. Now that our A/C is finally fixed, I might think about cooking again:)

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    1. Rose, I couldn't believe it when you said your A/C was fixed on FB. How hot was it?? Terrible I bet.
      My eyes didn't water with the peppers, just my fingers tingled. I did keep my fingers away from my face!

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  12. I'm going to file this away for winter. The corn bread looks delicious!

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    1. GUTI, I posted a link to the recipe, so you can bookmark it and try it this winter.

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  13. Oh is my mouth watering. What a delicious meal. Waiting for my green chiles to grow a bit more and then on the grill for roasting and then who knows what we will make...mmmmmmm

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    1. Donna@GEV, It was quite delicious. Hope you enjoy your green chiles, are they hot??

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  14. Anyone who wants to make this, there is a link posted at the end of the posting to the recipe as well as a link for the cornbread.

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  15. OMG...that looks so good...I'm practically drooling!

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  16. A) I'm a little bit in awe. B) I want to come for dinner!

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  17. Mouth watering deliciousness! Wish I lived nearby I would beg for a bowl! gail

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