Recipe: Chili

I never make this stuff with a recipe. Every time I make it, it comes out different. This batch was slightly soupier than I prefer it, but was hot enough to blow a hole through an oriface.

There are a bazillion recipes for chili. Here's mine --not that I ever follow it, but, whatever.

Serves: 4
Ingredients:

• 1 lb. of ground beef, or buffalo, skillet-browned
  
• 3 large stalks of celery, chopped
• 2 large onions, chopped
• 1 qt. of beef stock
• 2 14.5 oz. cans of diced tomatoes, with peppers, etc.
• beans (pinto, black, kidney, or some mix, if you like)
  
• oregano
• half a head of garlic, mashed
• cumin
• chili powder
• salt
• freshly ground black pepper (I prefer Tellicherry)
• red pepper flakes
• corn (frozen is alright, but fresh is better)
  

Method:

1. Brown the ground meat, and remove it from the heat
2. Sautee the veggies, along with the spices
3. Dump the beef broth into the pan to deglaze it, stir well, then toss the rest of the ingedients back in, including the previously browned ground meat
   
4. Simmer on really low heat for another 3 hours
5. Adjust seasonings to taste, then serve

Notes:

1. Some people love sour cream with chili. I hate sour cream, so I go with grated cheddar.
2. Chopped scallions are optional, for garnish. I don't bother with them unless I have guests.
3. Chili always tastes better the next day, even if it tastes fantastic 15 minutes after it's done.
4. I prefer the canned diced tomatoes that already have other stuff in it, but plain diced tomatoes are alright. You can even use stewed tomatoes, if that's what you have on hand. In the summer we stew and "can" our own tomatoes in 1 qt. mason jars.