Recipe: Grown-Up Chili (w/ dairy-free chocolate)

The wonderful thing about chili, is that it is easy to make allergen-free.  Of course, most chili recipes do not contain nuts or gluten anyway, and the dairy is usually "on top", so you can choose to leave it off.  But with most chili recipes, you still miss that taste and texture of dairy - to either compliment the spice or to simply make you happy.

So, if you cannot consume dairy products, have I got a recipe for you.  There is no cheese required, and these flavors will demand that you leave it off.

This recipe has a mix of French and Mexican flavors, with a sauce that compels you to lick your bowl.  I call this "grown-up" chili, because this is not your kids' chili (not your normal kid, anyway).  With this blend of flavors and a 1/2 bottle of red wine, it's for adults only.

Grown Up Chili Recipe

Prep Time:  30-45 minutes

Cook Time:  1.5 hours

Serves:  8 hungry people (and 10 not-so-hungry people)

Gather the Ingredients

3 lbs Ground Beef (organic & grassfed if you can!)

1 TBS of Sea Salt (plus a few extra pinches as you go)

½ tsp. ground cinnamon

3 tsp. ground cumin (1 and 2)

2 tsp. ground coriander (1 and 1)

4 TBS chili powder (2 and 2)

½ c. extra virgin olive oil

2 large yellow or white onions (chopped well)

6 cloves garlic (smashed and finely minced)

4 fresh serrano chile peppers, finely chopped with seeds (no stems) OR (6 – 8 frozen serrano) - if you want a milder chili, remove the seeds from the peppers and use only the pepper flesh (throw seeds away).

4 mulatto chile peppers, soaked for one hour and chopped finely (can also use soaked ancho chiles) - include 1/2 of the seeds (no stems).  If you like it hot, keep all of the seeds in.

1/2 c. organic tomato paste

2 tsp. dried oregano (or 2 TBS of fresh oregano, finely chopped)

½ bottle of dry, full-bodied red wine (cabernet or an equivalently full bodied “good” red table wine)

1 quart organic chicken broth

2 - 14 oz. cans of diced tomatoes

3 - 12 oz. cans of black beans

6 oz. dairy-free, bittersweet chocolate, chopped into large chunks

Season the Beef

Place the ground beef into a large bowl and season generously with sea salt (about 1 T. salt).  Then continue seasoning with:

1/2 tsp of cinnamon

1 tsp of coriander

1 tsp of cumin

2 TBS of chili powder

Mix well.

Brown the Beef

Prepare a 13x9 inch pan by lining it with a paper towel.  Set aside.

In a large cast iron pot, Doufeu (my favorite pot, bar none) or stew pot, cover the bottom of the pan with olive oil (3 TBS to 1/4 cup).  When the oil is hot, add the ground beef in a layer that is about 1 inch thick (don't crowd or clump so it browns evenly).  Resist the temptation to stir the beef.  Let it brown - when the blood starts to rise on the beef, turn each piece over and brown the other side.  Once browned / carmelized, removed the beef from the pan, and place it in the prepared 13x9 inch pan.  Set aside.

Layer the Flavors

Add the onions right into the juices in the pan.  Saute until they start to get soft.  Add a pinch of sea salt, then add the garlic and saute until you smell that yummy garlic aroma.  Throw in the serrano and ancho chile peppers.  Saute for about 2 minutes.  Stir in the tomato paste.  Then add the remaining spices:

1 T. of chili powder

2 tsp cumin

1 tsp coriander

2 tsp oregano

Stir to incorporate the spices, then stir in the diced tomatoes. 

Add the Grown Up Stuff & Simmer

Now add the meat back into the pan, and stir to incorporate everything really well.  Let the meat get used to its new spicey friends, then pour in the red wine - all of it.  Stir it well, then add the chicken stock and incorporate that juicy goodness.  If your chicken stock is unsalted, another pinch of salt here might be a good idea.  Cover and simmer for 45 minutes to 1 hour. 

In the meantime, drain the black beans and rinse them well to get the “gas out”.  Simmer for another ½ hour. 

Top it Off with a Secret Weapon

Stir in the chopped chocolate.  Stir until it melts brilliantly, then serve immediately and enjoy the beans out of it. 

(Please note: if you make this recipe a day or two ahead of time, its best to wait to add the chocolate until you reheat it.)

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Other toppers....if you must....

In my opinion, this chili needs nothing else (except a glass of red wine).  But if you would like a little more flavor, chooped cilantro is a nice garnish.  And if you make it really hot and you are not alergic to soy, a dairy alternative could be a dollup of tofutti (a soy-based cream cheese).  Its a bit heavy, so dollup lightly. 

This recipe can be made a day or two ahead, stored in the refrigerator, and reheated in the cast iron pan.

A Surprise Gluten- and Dairy- Free Party

Chef Tommy Fitzgerald after he revealed his secret Tender agendaThis past Saturday night I went to a surprise birthday party for a couple of super guys and great friends. 

There was also a nice surprise for me, however, when the chef prepared a meal that was nearly entirely gluten- and dairy-free. 

You see, usually, my party protocol includes appropriate primping and then some frozen Applegate Farms lunch meat thrown into my purse.  Usually, at a party, and after I've circulated and socialized ... and after my knees get weak ... but before I feel that alien invasion called low blood sugar, I find a quiet corner in which to hide (a.k.a.) my car or the nearest bathroom).  I then peel open the pack of meat and stuff my face with a few of the unfrozen slices before going back out and resocializing like a human.  Once all proteined-up, I usually pretend that I'm not at all jealous of the party-goers' oohs and ahhs as they sample the tastiness of the table.  I ignore their glazed over eyes as they take that first bite of that cheesy, buttery, puffy thing or that chocolately chewy brownie concoction (my favorite food).  And when I get home, I pretend that it is perfectly heatlhy to eat a fairly full meal at midnight -- because I'm hungry as heck.  And then further tell myself that its really not such a big deal (and in the light of world peace, devastating disease, and people with real hunger, it really isn't a big deal at all.  I'm seriously quite content with these small problems).

And I usually forget to take the left over lunch meat out of my purse when I get home. 

But Saturday night was different and fun.  Because of my "new best friend" Tommy Fitzgerald, I had a full plate.  I licked that plate clean.  I went back for seconds.  I had such an abundance of mexican food that I had to leave a little behind; I just couldn't possibly take another bite.  The salsas were incredible, the chicken was so juicy and tasty that I raided the party refrigerator later in the evening for more.  That was a nice surprise indeed.

 

So my biggest thanks and a big shout out to Tommy -- and to The Leonard at Logan House for taking care of their Tender Foodie for the evening.  It was so nice to be able to relax, not worry and just enjoy some great food and great people.

And a big happy birthday to John and Bill.  You are surrounded by so many folks who love you (because you are so darn loveable).  May your years be filled wtih great happiness, joy, health and many more years of fun in the great out-of-doors.  Keep feeding me like this and you might actually get me out camping.

Tommy Fitzgerald owns Cafe Stella in Grand Rapids, MI, is a favorite chef at The Leonard at Logan House, and caters all kinds of events.  Take a trip to his web site for more info.

The Leonard at Logan House is an historic bed and breakfast that specializes in peronal or business stay, weddings and events, corporate events, meetings, parties and more.

These guys know how to throw a great and memorable party.

The Best Allergen-free Chocolate

Since I am a chocolaholic, I will always be on the lookout for the best chocolate for baking, cooking, eating and giving.  Here is a start to my list.  I'll keep adding to it and letting you know what else I find out!

Cooking, Baking & Confections

Barry Callebaut - North America - DARK CHOCOLATE

• Dairy Free (processed on a dedicated dairy-free, dark chocolate North American factory line & tested for milk.)
• Kosher
• Vegan (no animal products are processed on their dark chocolate line)
• Contains small amounts of soy (soy lecithin is used for consistency)
  
• GMO Status?  Currently Unknown.
• **May be OK for gluten and nut allergies (currently, nuts and gluten products are not processed in the North American Factory, however, there is no testing for this at the moment.  Some European factories do process nuts). **If you have nut and gluten allergies, please do your own research

• Used by confection makers, restaurants and bakers world-wide

www.barry-callebaut.com

Check out Tender Palate's recips for Almond Cognac Truffles (contains nuts) & for our Coconut Truffles (dairy-free) using Callebaut.

Enjoy Life Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips

& Bittersweet Chunks

• Free of the 8 most common allergens (NO wheat, dairy, peanuts, tree nuts, egg, soy, fish, or shellfish. Also made without casein, potato, sesame or sulfites).
• Nut-free (tested and produced in a dedicated nut-free and gluten-free facility)
• Gluten-free  (tested and produced in a dedicated nut-free and gluten-free facility)
• **Dairy-free (tested)
• **Soy-free (tested)
• **(produced in a facility that also processes dairy and soy, but produced on a dedicated dairy-and soy-free line.  Ingredients have been additionally tested for the presence of dairy and soy)
• GMO status?  Currently unknown.

http://www.enjoylifefoods.com

Giving & Eating

Indie Candy 

Indie Candy makes allergen-free confections for Tender Foodies of all kinds.  They offer selections that are:

• Gluten-free
• Dairy-free
• Soy-free
• Nut-free
• Kosher
• Vegan
• Feingold Diet Approved

www.indiecandy.com

Check out what The Tender Foodie has to say about Indie Candy in our Review.

Review: Indie Candy

Allergen-Free Sweets for Your Valentine

Having a tough time finding the perfect sweet for your favorite Tender Sweetie? You can pull out all of the stops and make your own, or order from a professional like Indie Candy. Most of their sweets contain none of the “Big 8” allergens. Plus, they cater to special diet protocols (like Feingold, Kosher and Vegan). You would think this is a recipe for crappy candy, but it’s not. It’s tasty. I sampled a few of their Valentine-themed products for you. You don’t have to thank me. No really. Here are my choices.

Dark Chocolate Truffles

Truffles are love. Truffles are sensuous. “Truffle” even sounds romantic. So when you bite into one, you long to hear that naughty little voice in your head say, “Ohhhh. (pause) “Ohhh Yeah.” And these truffles do not disappoint. What I like the most is the initial snap as you bite into the hard chocolate shell and the caramel-like consistency of the center. Yum. Are they as fluffy as the dairy-packed confections that I remember? Not quite. But they don’t have to be. They are the “real thing” and they are very, very good.

Sweet Hearts Gummies

These gummies are yummy. And pretty. Indie Candy uses no artificial dyes or flavors so the wild cherry and watermelon flavors pop genuinely. The texture is satisfying and sexy, too. Might make your gluten-free Valentine’s imagination run wild.

Other products that I sampled were the Pineapple “Love Heart” which was not a favorite (it just tasted like sugar).  But the “Beary Sweet” dark chocolate sucker used high quality chocolate and would please adult and child alike. The packaging of each product is not highly designed, but sweet and down-to-earth.

Sweetheart GummiesThe Company

Before I took my first bite, I wanted to understand the company and its practices. I spoke with the President/CEO, Hanson Watkins. I was sincerely impressed with her knowledge and passion for both confections and health. She emphasized their goal of making things truly delicious, not just allergen-free – a goal that the Tender Foodie requires. Indie Candy carefully sources each ingredient right down to the factory where it is processed and to the seed that is sown. The majority of their ingredients are organic and they do their best to use non-GMO foodstuff. They sell their own in-house artisan candies (no Big 8 allergen is allowed in their kitchen) as well as those from other independent confectioners who cater to more narrow allergen-free markets. The Indie site clearly directs you by allergen, diet and confection and includes the ingredients, so read them.

If you are a Tender Foodie (or a Tender Valentine) and you give Indie Candy a try, let me know what you think!