Recipes / onions

The ULTIMATE One Pot Chili

The ULTIMATE One Pot Chili

This amazing chili recipe was ‘inspired by’ Alex Guarnaschelli’s cookbook, Cook With Me (a wonderful Christmas present this year).  Of course, me being me, I’ve changed it up a bit.  My wife doesn’t like bell peppers or chunky tomatoes and I like more than 1 kind of meat.  So that all got switched up. And, Of Course I had to add some Flaming Fruit Sauce and Cayenne.  It just needed it!    This recipe makes at least a dozen servings, so feel free to cut it in half if you like.  I sent some to neighbors and friends and froze some. Once upon a non-Covid time it would have been a big dinner party. But, I love having yumminess in the freezer!!

Ingredients:

2 lbs ground chuck (80% lean)

1 lb pork shoulder, cut into ½” pieces

1 lb beef stew meat (we used sirloin tips) cut into ½” pieces

2 large sweet onions (1 ½ chopped, for chili, ½ minced, for topping)

2 pablano peppers, chopped (seeded)

3 jalapenos, chopped (I seeded, feel free to leave them if you like)

5 Tbs vegetable oil

16 cloves garlic, minced

6 Tbs tomato paste

4 Bay leaves

5 Tbs chili powder

2 tsp cayenne pepper powder

1 tsp ground coriander

¼ Cup Jessi’s Flaming Fruit Sauce – Ghost Pepper Extra Hot

2 tsp ground cumin

4 Tbs apple cider vinegar

2 24 oz containers of strained tomatoes

5 15oz cans of black beans, drained (I used a #10 tin)

Sea salt and white pepper, to season

Garnish:

Shredded sharp cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese

Lime to squeeze

Sliced avocado

Minced onion (from above)

Sour Cream

Sliced fresh or pickled jalapenos

Tortilla chips

Meat:   I do this as a one pot meal, so I do all my prep in a large, heavy bottom soup pot.  You can do all the browning in a large saute pan if you like.  In order to avoid boiling/steaming the meat, you’ll have to do it in 1lb batches over medium high heat.  Brown the ground beef and move to a sheet pan to cool, then add 1 Tbs of oil and add the pork to brown and remove. Repeat with the steak.  Season each layer with sea salt and white pepper.  At this point, you’ll start to notice brown bits sticking to the bottom of the pot.  This is GOOD.  This is FLAVOR.

Vegetables: To the same pan, add 3 Tbs vegetable oil, onions, peppers, garlic, sea salt and white pepper (to season). Saute 5 to 8 minutes, stirring constantly, until onions start to brown.  Then add tomato paste, cayenne, coriander, cumin, chili flakes, chili powder, and cook another 2 to 3 minutes.

Chili: This is where I really differ from the amazing Alex Guarnaschelli – she uses a slow cooker, feel free to do that.  I make it as a one pot meal. Add the bay leaf, tomatoes, vinegar and 4 cups of water and stir to deglaze the fond (brown bits) on the bottom of the pot. Add meat back to pot. Cover and set to a low heat.  Cook for 4 hours, stirring occasionally.  Add drained black beans and cook another 2 hours, uncovered.

Serve up however you like, over rice, potatoes, as chili mac, etc. Yesterday I had someone tell me in the Midwest they eat it with peanut butter sandwiches.  Don’t ask me.  I love it with lime, onion, avocado, cheese, jalapenos, and tortilla chips.

Let me know if you like it!!!

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Onion Chicken Au Gratin

Onion Chicken Au Gratin

You can absolutely make this dish in a skillet (preferably cast iron).  This version is for the Instant Pot (same for crockpot, just increase cooking time).

2 lbs Boneless Skinless Chicken, cut into 1" pieces

3 T Olive Oil

2 Lrg Onions, halved & thinly sliced

1/2 C Sherry

2 T fresh thyme leaves (or bundle into a bouquet garni)

2 T Original 'Everything' Sauce

3 T Flour

1 T garlic, minced

28 oz Beef Broth, low sodium

1 lb Baby Golden Potatoes

Salt & Pepper

1 C Gruyere cheese, shredded

Set Instant Pot to Saute (or skillet to medium heat) and add 2 Tbs Olive Oil and Onions, 1/4 tsp Salt & Pepper, and fresh Thyme.  Cook until onions are soft, stirring occasionally.  Add Sherry and reduce to simmer, cooking until onions start to caramelize.  Stir in Garlic and cook 1 to 2 more minutes.  

Add 1/4 tsp Salt & Pepper to flour and use to coat chicken pieces.  Add chicken, potatoes and beef broth to Instant Pot and change setting to Meat/Stew with a time of 20 minutes.  Seal Instant Pot. *

We like to sop up the liquid with a good crusty bread.  So, portion onions, chicken and potatoes with enough liquid for sopping into oven safe dishes that have a good lip on them (or a crock made for soup).  Cover with Gruyere cheese and broil for 1 to 2 minutes.

*If using skillet, transfer to a waiting 350 degree oven for 30 to 40 minutes, until potatoes are tender.  Then cover with Gruyere and turn oven to broil for 1 to 2 minutes, until melty and browning.

Garnish with fresh thyme leaves, if desired.

 

 

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Burger with Smoked Gouda and Charred Onion Relish

Burger with Smoked Gouda and Charred Onion Relish

This recipe can be vegan, vegetarian, or carnivorous.  All depends on what you want to use for your burger and whether or not you skip the cheese.  We used our favorite turkey burger recipe and smoked Gouda cheese.  It's just the perfect combination.

The important part?  The charred onion relish.

2 cooked burgers (your preference)

4 slices smoked Gouda cheese (melted onto the burgers)

2 toasted buns 

1 sweet onion, sliced thin

1 Tbs butter

1 Tbs oil

2 Tbs Peach-Apricot Jessi's Flaming Fruit Sauce

2 Tbs Orange Marmalade  (we use Southern Jar)

Heat pan on med-high (I prefer cast iron if you have it) and melt butter/oil.  Add onions and stir frequently.  When they start to get charred on the edges, remove from heat and add Peach-Apricot sauce and orange marmalade.  

This is the perfect condiment for a smoked Gouda burger.  Enjoy!!

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Stuffed Pork Chops with Orange-Cranberry Sauce

Stuffed Pork Chops with Orange-Cranberry Sauce

4 Center cut pork chops, approximately 1 ½ inches thick, fat trimmed
2 Granny Smith apples, diced
1 Large onion, diced
Butter
¼ Cup Brown sugar
Jessi’s Flaming Fruit Sauce Orange-Cranberry
1 Cup Apple Juice
¼ Cup Sea Salt, or Kosher Salt
1 tsp white pepper

Dissolve salt into a ½ cup of water, heating in a small pan or microwave safe bowl.  Mix dissolved salt-water and pepper into apple juice.  Once cooled, place brine into quart sized sandwich bag along with the trimmed pork chops.  Let sit in brine at least overnight.  I have let them sit up to 3 days and the longer they brine, the better they taste.  Before cooking, take out of brine and pat pork chops dry.

In a non-stick pan, saute` apples and onions in butter and brown sugar until onions are clear and soft.  Here is where you can get fancy with it.  I take a sharp knife and cut a pocket into the pork chops, then stuff them with the cooled apples and onions.  I also set some of the apples and onions aside, to serve on top of the chops.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Season the stuffed chops with salt and pepper, then sear off at high heat in a cast iron pan or on a grill.  I use a mix of butter and oil for searing.  Transfer to a baking dish, cover with foil and bake approximately 30 minutes, until internal temp reaches 160 degrees.  Pork should be just barely pink.

Top with remaining apples/onions and a large spoonful of Orange-Cranberry Sauce.  I usually serve with caramelized spinach (saute` spinach down with butter, a pinch of sea salt and a little brown sugar until all the liquid is reduced).

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