[Sca-cooks] Cincinnati Chili

[lilinah at earthlink.net]

OK, the PBS TV show was called "America's Test Kitchen", and the 
website is, well,
http://www.americastestkitchen.com

Here's the recipe. A woman (i don't recall her name) made it and some 
guy kept saying how he couldn't believe they were really cooking this 
dish on this show (i suppose the writers told him to). Then he seemed 
to think it was really good when he ate it.

------- begin recipe -----

Cincinnati Chili
Serves 6 to 8

Use ground chuck for the best flavor and blanch it for 30 seconds to 
give the meat its characteristic texture. Add a mix of spices and 
cocoa powder to create depth of flavor. A combination of chicken 
broth, water, and tomato sauce becomes a rich base for the chili, 
while some vinegar and brown sugar enliven all the other flavors.

Choose a relatively plain tomato sauce - nothing too spicy or 
herbaceous. To warm the kidney beans, simmer them in water to cover 
for several minutes and then drain.

Chili

2 teaspoons salt, plus more to taste
1 1/2 pounds ground chuck
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 medium onions, chopped fine (about 2 cups)
2 medium garlic cloves, minced or pressed through a garlic press 
(about 2 teaspoons)
2 tablespoons chili powder
2 teaspoons dried oregano
2 teaspoons cocoa
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon cayenne
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
2 cups water
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
2 teaspoons dark brown sugar
2 cups tomato sauce
Tabasco sauce

Accompaniments

1 pound spaghetti, cooked, drained, and tossed with 2 tablespoons 
unsalted butter
12 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
1 (15-ounce) can red kidney beans, drained, rinsed, and warmed
1 medium onion, chopped fine (about 1 cup)

FOR THE CHILI:
1. Bring 2 quarts of water and 1 teaspoon of the salt to a boil in a 
large saucepan. Add the ground chuck, stirring vigorously to separate 
the meat into individual strands. As soon as the foam from the meat 
rises to the top (this takes about 30 seconds) and before the water 
returns to a boil, drain the meat into a strainer and set it aside.

[they went on about how the meat looks wormy and how that's they way 
it should look - don't break it up]

2. Rinse and dry the empty saucepan. Set the pan over medium heat and 
add the oil. When the oil is warm, add the onions and cook, stirring 
frequently, until the onions are soft and browned around the edges, 
about 8 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 
minute. Stir in the chili powder, oregano, cocoa, cinnamon, cayenne, 
allspice, black pepper, and the remaining 1 teaspoon salt. Cook, 
stirring constantly, until the spices are fragrant, about 30 seconds. 
Stir in the broth, water, vinegar, sugar, and tomato sauce, scraping 
the pan bottom to remove any browned bits.

3. Add the blanched ground beef and increase the heat to high. As 
soon as the liquid boils, reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, 
stirring occasionally, until the chili is deep red and has thickened 
slightly, about 1 hour. Adjust the seasonings, adding salt and 
Tabasco sauce to taste. (The chili can be refrigerated in an airtight 
container for up to 3 days. Bring to a simmer over medium-low heat 
before serving.)

TO SERVE:
4. Divide the buttered spaghetti among individual bowls. Spoon the 
chili over the spaghetti and top with the cheese, beans, and onion. 
Serve immediately.