Fall is ruffling the fur on the rabbits in my front yard. The clouds seem to be hugging the earth a little tighter, and is it my imagination, or are the sunsets more russet? This is undoubtedly my favorite time of year. Even in temperate California, my Midwestern genes have adapted to the subtle changes and anticipate the shift. It’s chili weather! Next to Thanksgiving and all the heady aromas of roasted turkey, sage and freshly baking bread, chili says “home” to me more than any other food.
In Missouri, chili was our reward for a day of raking leaves. The raking was a reward in itself, mounding hundreds and hundreds of leaves, hurling ourselves skyward, screaming “Geronimo!“, dropping into our earthy cushions, catching our breath and repeating the whole process again and again and again. With red noses and leaves in our hair, we’d walk into the instant warmth of the house, inhaling the unmistakable aroma of chili.
I’ve been making chili ever since. The recipe has evolved year after year and has been influenced by many experiences. The current edition favors inspiration from Oaxacan moles and features both COCOA POWDER and DARK CHOCOLATE. What else?
CHOCOLATE CHILI
5 dried ancho chiles
1 cinnamon stick
1 medium onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic sliced
1 lb. tomatoes or 1 large can tomatoes
2 poblano chiles
1/2 can chipotle chiles in adobo
4 cups broth
2 TSP Dried oregano
3 TBSP cumin
2 bay leaves
2 TBSP balsamic vinegar
2 heaping TBSP good cocoa powder
1 TBSP grated orange zest
3 oz. dark chocolate (64 -70%)
4 oz. good Tequila
Canola Oil
Salt
Pepper
1 LB coarsely ground pork
1 LB coarsely ground chicken, dark meat
Soak the chiles and the cinnamon stick in hot water until the chiles are soft. Remove the cinnamon and puree the chiles, then strain to remove the tough skins.
Rub the tomatoes with a little canola oil and then put under the broiler until the skins blacken. Let them cool and then pulse in a food processor - skins and all. Add the chipotle in adobo. Then run through a food mill or a strainer to remove the skin. If you’re using canned tomatoes, skip the oiling, but do the roasting.
In a large heavy bottomed pot, add the garlic to cold oil. Put on low heat for about 5 minutes. The idea is not to brown the garlic, but to let it infuse the oil. Remove from the heat and let sit for a few minutes while you prepare the poblanos.
Rub the poblanos with a little canola oil and broil until the skin blackens. Carefully drop them into a bag or a bowl and cover with plastic wrap to let them steam for about 10 minutes. When they’re cool, slip the skins off and dice.
Return the pot with the infused oil to the stove and heat. Once the oil is hot, add the onions and the spices. By adding the spices now, the heat will intensify the inherent aroma of the spices. Sauté for a couple of minutes, and reduce the heat to sweat the onions. Season with salt and pepper.
Add the meat and brown over medium heat. When the meat is browned, remove from the pot and deglaze with 3oz tequila. Drink the other ounce. (If you don’t want to use tequila, you can use a nice stout beer, or broth or even water.) Stir vigorously to loosen the crunchy goodness on the bottom of the pan, then add the meat back in. Sprinkle the cocoa powder and orange zest over the meat and incorporate. Add the broth, the anchos, poblanos, and pureed tomatoes. Shave the dark chocolate over the top. Stir to mix all the ingredients.
Simmer for at least an hour. Check the seasoning. You’ll need to add some more salt.
The longer you let this simmer, the better it gets. Warm beans in another pot. Preheat the oven. Make your favorite corn bread, crank up Mariachi Vasquez and cozy up to a wonderful bowl of of Fall.
