Mole-Style Chili

Ancho chili powder and cocoa give the chili a distinctively rich, dark, smoky flavor. A combo pack of meat loaf mix consist of 1 pound ground beef, 1/2 pound ground veal, 1/2 pound ground pork.

• 2 large onions, chopped
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 (2 pound) meat loaf combo packs
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1/3 cup ancho chili powder
• 3 tablespoons ground cumin
• 3 tablespoons dried oregano
• 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
• 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1-1/2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
• 8 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 (32 ounce) can tomato juice
• 3 cups low-sodium beef broth
• 2 tablespoons yellow cornmeal

METHOD

Cook the onions, in the oil in a Dutch oven or heavy soup pot for 20 minutes. Simultaneously, break up the meat, place it in another large pan, sprinkle the salt over it, and cook it down, breaking apart the meat with a wooden spoon as it cooks.

At the end of the 20 minutes, sprinkle the onions with the seasonings and garlic and stir. Add the meat. Let this mixture cook an additional 5 minutes. Don't rush this part; you really want tot let the spices cook in the onions and hot fat to develop their full flavor along with the beef. Time the 5 minutes if necessary and stir diligently, because the spices may stick to the bottom of the pan. (If they do, that's okay.)

Add the tomato juice and beef broth and bring the mixture to a boil, scraping up any bits stuck to the bottom of the pan and incorporating them into the sauce. Lower the heat and let simmer, uncovered, for 1 hour, placing a spatter screen over the pot to minimize any greasy mess.

Stir in the cornmeal, cook an additional 3 minutes, and cool. Taste to correct seasoning when warm. If freezing, divide into containers and freeze.

Serves: 12

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this recipe from www.inmamaskithchen.com

 

Reprinted with permission from The Itty Bitty Kitchen Handbook, © Justin Spring, published by Broadway Books click for book review

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