Snow day chili with beans and a hint of cocoa

Yesterday it snowed--the first significant snow in a few years here in Northern Virginia. On the tail of the snowstorm came the polar vortex--a mass of cold, hard air as inexorable and weighty as a glacier. Warmth flees before it. And the cold wind blows snow devils into the air, glittering in the sun. It's beautiful, stark, and harsh.

Cold days are good days to make chili. Filling chili, with a touch of warming spice (or a lot, depending on your taste) that satisfies hunger and banishes the cold. Serve it on rice with sour cream, a sprinkling of cheese, and some chopped onion (or any combination that you like).

What's a little different about this chili is the addition of unsweetened cocoa powder. Not to worry, it doesn't make the chili taste like chocolate, but it adds depth to the flavor and a beautiful dark color. And yes, this chili has beans, which I know  is sacrilege in some food circles, but I will gladly offend in this case, ha ha. Beans are incredibly nutritious, full of protein and fiber that will make you feel full for a long time. In this recipe I've used canned beans (organic, of course) for convenience (I know, I'm slipping), but if you are in the mood to cook your own beans, use this no-soak method, which works well for me.

Another nice thing about this chili is that you can switch up the protein: Use ground pork, ground beef, ground turkey, or ground lamb, whatever you have handy. The same is true of the beans. I like a two-to-one combination of white and pinto beans, but you can use any combination of beans.

Ingredients

• 1 lb ground beef or pork or turkey or lamb (or a combination?)
• 3 Tbsps extra virgin olive oil
• 1 large yellow onion, diced
• 2 15-oz cans of white beans (such as cannelini or Great Northern), rinsed and drained
• 1 15-oz can of pinto beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 28-oz can of ground tomatoes
• 2-3 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1-3 Tbsps chili powder
• 2 tsps unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 tsp brown sugar
• 1 Tbsp salt (or to taste)

 

Instructions

1. Heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat (or other large-ish, heavy pot with a thick bottom). Add the onions and cook them until they are soft and slightly brown, about 10 minutes. Stir occasionally and adjust the heat as needed so that the onions don't burn.  
2. Add the ground beef/pork/turkey/lamb and cook through.
3. Add crushed garlic and stir until you can smell it, about a minute. 
4. Add tomatoes, beans, chili powder, cocoa powder, brown sugar, and about half of the salt. Stir everything together and let it simmer for at least 40 minutes, stirring occasionally. Longer is fine if you want to start it early in the day and just let it stew. If so, keep the heat on the lowest setting, keep the lid on, and stir from time to time.
5. Before it's time to serve, have a taste and add salt as needed. Then sever it over rice and with any additions that you like. I prefer sour cream and sometimes some chopped onion. Also, if you like it hot, you could always add some sliced jalapenos.   

 Now enjoy the cold weather and keep warm.

Pork and beans with Alton Brown's pickled pork for #SundaySupper

I hadn't intended to participate in this week's Sunday Supper, which is all about favorite chef-inspired dishes. I was busy, overwhelmed, and trying to keep up with the regular day to day. I just couldn't think of a chef's recipe that I would want to do. The research seemed daunting. And then I got the reminder email about posting #SundaySupper recipe titles to the group. And I smacked myself on the forehead. Just that morning, I had started pickling some pork, using Alton Brown's recipe. Uh, oh yeah, duh. Silly me. Serendipity strikes again.

I haven't cooked that many celebrity chef recipes even though you could call me a cooking show addict. I especially enjoy the shows where they pit chefs head to head: Top Chef, Iron Chef, Next Iron Chef, Chopped, The Next Food Network Star. Love 'em. My husband and I try to come up with ideas for the mystery basket. Ideas that we have never tried, unfortunately.

One food show that was particularly important to us was Alton Brown's Good Eats. It taught us so much about the precise methods of cooking just about anything you could think of and make it good. The show also covered food history, culture, and science. For geeks like us, it was irresistible. And it was funny. AB was such a goof on that show, so much so that we were surprised to learn about his extraordinary skill and professionalism as a producer (which we discovered on The Next Food Network Star). (And I also enjoy his natty Southern gentleman style.)

However, more important than the specific lessons in cooking various items of food or the history and science was the insight that to cook really well requires precision, knowledge of the ingredients, knowledge of the techniques. This may seem obvious, but it isn't. In some ways it was a revelation: To get superior results, you have to understand how different kinds of pans heat food differently, that some foods need to be cooked at low temperatures for a long time and some need high heat for just a few seconds, and so much more. Understanding the differences and learning to apply patience or be careful about timing really does make a difference. It was exciting because there was room for growth. It's still exciting because the only way to go is toward continual improvement if you are willing to learn.

Another key to learning as a cook is to take risks and experiment, to try things that don't sound good or to try new methods. This dish is a perfect example. The first time I heard of pickled pork, I had doubts. It didn't sound good to me at all. Sounded kind of scary actually, like those giant jars of pickled eggs you see sometimes. Thankfully, my husband went ahead and tried it about a year ago (I am in no way to be commended for my kitchen courage in this story, but the mad scientist definitely is); cooked long and slow with some beans, tomatoes, onions, and herbs, the pork transformed into a rich, filling dish perfect to take the edge of a cold night's chill. You won't believe the rich smell that rises when you remove the lid from your Dutch oven.

This dish is not difficult or labor-intensive to make but it takes a lot of time. The initial pickling of the pork takes three days, then the dish itself needs to simmer 2 to 2 1/2 hours. But it's worth it. You will divide the pickled pork in half and freeze the unused half for another day. The pork and beans, served over white rice, last a few days (unless of course, you go back for seconds and thirds, as we did last night).

For the pickled pork recipe, head over to the Food Network's website for Alton Brown's recipe. I followed this nearly exactly (skipped the celery seed; didn't have it, didn't want it). For the rest of the recipe, read on:

Ingredients

• 1/2 batch of Alton Brown's pickled pork, drained (drain and freeze the other half for another use)
• 2 1/2 - 3 cups cooked beans (1/2 lb dried beans, cooked); I used cranberry beans, you can use pintos, white navy beans, cannelini beans.
• 1 28 oz. can diced tomatoes, briefly chopped in a food processor
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 Tbsps olive oil
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 1 1/2 Tbsp salt (or more to taste, but add near the end of the cook time to avoid oversalting)
• 1/4 tsp black peppercorns
• 1 Tbsp dried thyme
• 1 Tbsp whole-grain mustard 

Directions

1. If you use dried beans, Pick-A-Pepper just turned me on to a great, no-soak method of cooking beans that cuts cooking time to 2 hours (at most) and leaves you with soft, creamy beans. I went ahead and cooked a whole pound at once and froze the second half in leftover cooking liquid.
2. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit. 
3. Heat the olive oil over medium-high heat in a Dutch oven until it shimmers. Add the chopped onions, cook until they are soft and just starting to brown a bit. 
4. Add the rest of the ingredients. Stir them together gently until evenly distributed. Cover the Dutch oven and place it in the oven. 
5. Leave it in the oven for 2 hours. Taste to test the seasoning (careful, it will be very hot). Add salt to taste. Remove from the oven. 
6. Let it cool while you cook some white rice to serve it over. Then eat it and love it. And try to avoid going back for seconds. I dare you. 

Please check out all the other great chef-inspired dishes on offer from #SundaySupper. Lots of tasty dishes and inspiration are on offer:

Starters or Snacks:

• Martin at ENOFYLZ Wine Blog - Oyster and Brie Soup and Wine Pairings for Celebrity Chef #SundaySupper
• Linda at The Urban Mrs. - Inspired by Bobby Flay, Lobster Chowder with Roasted Corn Salsa
• Erin from Dinners, Dishes and Desserts - Rachael Ray’s Cinnamon Popcorn
• Cindy over at Cindy’s Recipes and Writings - Jamie Oliver’s Bread and Tomato Soup
• Jeff at The Catholic Foodie - Drop Biscuits – Breakfast with Chef John Besh
• Renee over at Kudos Kitchen By Renee - Giada De Laurentiis’s Garlic Toasts with Red Pepper Aioli

The Main Dish:

• Sheila at Cooking Underwriter – Paula Deen’s  Chicken in a Crock Pot w/ Sauerkraut and Apples
• Laura over at Small Wallet Big Appetite – Martin Yan’s Beef Chow Fun
• Sarah over at Crispy Bits & Burnt Ends - Michael Symon’s Lola burger with crab tater tots
• Susan at The Girl in the Little Red Kitchen - Ina Garten’s Baked Shrimp Scampi
• Tammi at Momma’s Meals – Ree Drummond’s Sloppy Joes
• Lane over at Supper for a Steal - Bobby Flay’s Rosemary Bricked Chicken
• Tara from Noshing with the Nolands - Michael Symon’s Pork and Apple Scallopini
• Shannon at Country Girl in the Village – Simple Red Sauce over Rigatoni. Inspired by Debi Mazar and Gabriele Corcos
• Kris over at In the Kitchen with Audrey and Maurene - Rachael Ray’s Muffin Tin Meatloaf
• Nicole from The Daily Dish Recipes - Paula Deen’s Slow Cooker Pulled Pickled Pork Sandwiches
• Becca from It’s Yummilicious - Ina Garten’s Grown-Up Bacon Mac & Cheese
• Alice at  Hip Foodie Mom - Sunday Pot Roast with Risotto Cakes from Kelsey Nixon
• Jen over at  Juanita’s Cocina - The Neely’s White Turkey Chili
• Brianne from Cupcakes & Kale Chips - Crockpot Beef Pot Roast with Mushrooms inspired by Giada DeLaurentiis
• Isabel at Family Foodie - Polenta with Garlicky Shrimp inspired by Chef Todd English
• Wendy from The Weekend Gourmet - Shrimp Penne in Pesto Cream Sauce from Emeril Lagasse
• Bobbi over at Bobbi’s Kozy Kitchen - Cheesy Poblano Chicken
• Patti at Comfy Cuisine - Tyler Florence’s Chicken Francese
• Roxanne over at The Roxx Box - Jambalaya Pasta with Penne, Chicken, Shrimp, and Andouille
• Sue from Sue’s Nutrition Buzz – Rachael Ray’s Spicy Corn Chowdah Mac ‘n’ Cheese
• Jamie at Mama Mommy Mom - Penne with Asparagus, Smoked Gouda, and Prosciutto. Adapted from Giada De Laurentiis
• Tora over at Tora’s Real Food – Pork and beans with Alton Brown’s pickled pork
• Elisabeth over at The Hand That Rocks The Ladle - Emeril’s New Orleans Style Red Beans & Rice

Amazing Sides:

• Megan from I Run For Wine - Curtis Stone’s Acorn Squash Roasted with Thyme
• Sandi over at Midlife Road Trip -  Gabriele Corcos’s Gnocchi di Patate
• Shelby at  Diabetic Foodie - Orange Pecan Black Rice, adapted from Ina Garten
• Katie from She likes Ruffles, He likes Truffles - Chef Fabio Viviani’s Spinach and Artichoke Risotto 

Sweet Endings:

• Renee over at Magnolia Days – Brownie Tart
• Conni at The Foodie Army Wife - Inspired by Ree Drummond – Scrumptious Apple Coffee Cake
• Paula over at Vintage Kitchen Notes - Bill Granger´s Cherry Tart
• Pam from The Meltaways – Savannah Sheet Cake
• Katy over at Happy Baking Days - Mary Berry’s Treacle Tart
• Jaime over at Mom’s Test Kitchen - Southern Tea Cakes
• Amy over at Kimchi MOM - Crack Pie, I Can’t Quit You
• Lyn from The Lovely Pantry - Sweet Potato Chocolate Chip Squares
• Melanie at From Fast Food to Fresh Food – Sand Tarts

Wine Pairings: 

• Martin at ENOFYLZ Wine Blog

Please join the Sunday Supper group via Twitter for #SundaySupper throughout the day on December 2, 2012. In the evening, Sunday Supper members will meet at 7 PM EST for the weekly #SundaySupper live chat. All you have to do is follow the #SundaySupper hashtag, or you can follow us through TweetChat. Also check out and pin to the #SundaySupper Pinterest board, which has more than 1,600 pins with all kinds of tasty dishes. 

Fall market soup with bacon, beans, sweet potatoes, and kale

Some of the best soups are happy accidents. This is especially true when you get most of your produce and meats from farmers markets: Ingredients available one week may be gone the next, and the chances of that perfect convergence of vegetables and fruits ever happening again are slim. That's the case with this soup, which is a rich, warm, filling, and nutritious concoction that is just what you want on a chilly fall evening (in fact, I'll be going back for seconds soon), but it may be a long time before I can replicate it precisely because I probably won't have all these ingredients again at the same time.

But that's OK. Making this soup was an act of discovery, an exploration of flavors and textures. It was also an act of building something, adding component to component until it all came together with a toss of chopped kale at the end. Kind of fun to make, really. Furthermore, I experienced that moment when I had added just enough salt and pepper, the vegetables had mellowed and released their sweetness and savor to the stock, and the test spoonful exploded into my mouth, forcing me to do a happy dance and to shamelessly proclaim how good I am. It was a great soup.

I make a lot of these soups, the ones where I add this and that until it's done, but they don't always succeed. In fact, I've made some real disasters (beets and pumpkin do not, I repeat, do NOT go together). But most of them are pretty good, some are outstanding. There are a few lessons I've learned from building soups like this:

• Always use a good stock, preferably homemade.
• Give the onions that you will start almost every soup with plenty of time to mellow, at least 10 minutes. Don't rush soup.
• The stock should slightly cover the vegetables, not drown them. If you have too much stock, your soup will be watery. If don't have enough stock, the soup could be mushy, more like a vegetable stew or porridge. 
• Aim for balance of flavors: sweet vegetables combined with bitter ones. (Like sweet potato with parsnips.) 
• If you include a lot of root vegetables, like sweet potatoes, potatoes, parsnips, and so forth, try dicing an apple and adding it to the soup. You'll be surprised. In a good way. 
• If you have some greens on hand, try chopping them up and adding them in the last few minutes of cook time. 
• Add salt and pepper at the end of the cook time to avoid oversalting. (The stock will cook down a little, which will concentrate the salt if you add it too early.)
• Above all: Have fun, be inspired, see what you find at the farmers market, and taste, taste, taste. 

Now, even though the ingredients for this particular soup may not be easy to come by, here's the recipe anyway because you can use it as a starting point and replace or drop ingredients as you like. If you don't have fresh Dragon Tongue beans, which you probably don't (beautiful things, I wish I had thought to photograph them), you can replace them with cooked pinto beans. (If you use cooked pinto beans, drop the overall cook time by 20 minutes.) If you don't eat bacon or meat, you can use olive oil to soften the onions and replace the chicken stock with vegetable stock. Try different kinds of greens. And if you don't have butternut squash puree just hanging around the refrigerator (which I did), you can either eliminate it or use some plain pumpkin puree from a can (just go for the good quality stuff though).

Ingredients

• 6 slices bacon, chopped finely
• 1 onion, chopped finely
• 2 cups fresh (shelled) Dragon Tongue beans
• 4 cups chicken stock
• 2 small potatoes (yellow or white), peeled and diced
• 1 medium-large sweet potato, peeled and diced
• 1 apple, cored, peeled, and diced
• 1 cup butternut squash puree
• 2-3 cups chopped kale
• salt (to taste)
• white pepper (to taste)
• 1 tsp thyme

Directions

1. Cook the bacon in a large soup pot over medium heat until crispy. Remove the bacon from the pot and let it drain on paper towels.
2. Lower the heat to medium-low and add the onions. Let them cook slowly until they are soft and shiny. Give the onions a good 10 minutes to mellow. 
3. Add the beans, the stock, and the thyme to the pot. Bring the stock to a boil, and then lower the temperature to a simmer. Let the beans and stock simmer for 20 minutes (if you are using cooked beans, skip to the next step).  
4. Add the potatoes and the apples to the stock. Let them cook for 10 minutes. 
5. Add the sweet potatoes to the stock (sweet potatoes cook faster than regular potatoes). Let them cook for another 10-15 minutes (check that they are soft). 
6. Add the chopped kale and the bacon. Taste the soup, add salt and pepper to taste.