tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19572957.post-75639080656467901932008-02-10T13:22:00.000-08:002008-02-10T13:23:59.030-08:00The Chili Contest Yesterday was a fun day. It actually started the day before, at Delta Organic Farm in Amherst. I used their commercial kitchen to get ready for the Chili contest at the Amherst Winterfest (http://www.winterfestamherst.com). It was fun having the horsepower of a commercial stove again. Yup, when it comes to stoves and btu’s, size does matter… So, after I finished cooking, I went to the megatropolis of Sunderland, MA, to have a rendezvous with a marketing manager of Australis, the folks who grow and sell baramundi, a fish that tastes great, and, quite oddly today, is farm raised in a very healthy and safe way. No mercury or PCBs for these fishies. And why the baramundi? Because I may be using it for appetizers for the wine tasting at our local (Springfield, MA) PBS station. But more on that in a posting in the next week or so. So, lets fast-forward to the Winterfest. The chili tasting involved five restaurants and me. When I arrived, a few of the other places were setting up. But I was worried about the turnout. It was a nice day, but there were only a few dozen people hanging out at some of the events at the Cherry Hill golf course where all of this was happening. So, there we were in the clubhouse, setting up. And when noon arrived (the tasting was supposed to go from noon-2:00), people were already lining up for the chili. I was fourth in line (what are the odds that “ChefBill” would be fourth in alphabetical order? Oh well) for the tasting. And I got all kinds of great comments from people. Some thought my chili was sweetened, but it was the hint of cinnamon, along with the corn in it, that made it seem sweet. And when 2:00 rolled around, the line of people was still out the door. Finally, around 2:30, they ended the tasting. The timing was perfect, as I’d gone through three gallons of chili. I was the only one with a chicken and black bean chili. The others were beef based, except for a vegetarian chili. Alas, in this electoral season, I did not prevail in winning the coveted Winterfest ChiliBowl trophy. It was won my Atkins Farms Market. Which wasn’t a bad thing, because their chili really was good. So I’ll spend the next 364 days refining my chili recipe, in the hopes of bringing home the ChiliBowl trophy. Meanwhile, here’s the recipe. It’s not hard to make. And it’s really good. Chicken Chili 34medium onions, peeled and chopped 4 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped 2 teaspoons olive oil (or cooking spray) 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast (or thighs) cut into cubes 2 teaspoons chili powder 1 teaspoon cinnamon 1 tablespoon cumin 1 teaspoon oregano 28 oz can diced tomatoes 2 16 oz cans black beans 8-12 oz package frozen corn (try to thaw in advance, but not crucial) 1 lime, use zest, and juice from one half salt and pepper to taste In a large pot, over a medium heat, add the onions. Sauté these for approximately 30 minutes, until the onion is soft. Add the garlic, and raise the heat to medium-high. Add the chili powder, cinnamon, cumin, and oregano, and mix well to combine. Add the cubed chicken, and stir frequently, for approximately 5 minutes, or until the chicken is browned, but not cooked through. Add the tomatoes, beans, corn, and lime zest and juice. Simmer for 20 minutes. Adjust the seasonings (especially the chili powder, cumin and salt) to your liking, and serve. Makes around two quarts, or 6-8 servings.ChefBillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01457662378938844831noreply@blogger.com