Chili

January 12, 2019

I started out the New Year with an itch to cook, and since I’m also watching calories, I’m focusing on soups and stews without cream. Chicken or beef broth, tomatoes, lots of vegetables, and seasonings give the dishes flavor without the fat.

This chili is a longtime favorite, and in fact was requested by a blog reader who had just moved to St. Simons. The recipe appeared in my first cookbook, Savannah Collection, a collection of recipes from my interviews as food editor of the Savannah Morning News in the ‘70s and ‘80s. I remember precisely when I developed the recipe – after a weekend visit to Vidalia to see our friends, the Comers. We had chili for Sunday lunch, and the recipe came from Craig Claiborne, longtime food editor of The New York Times. My recipe has evolved through the years – I’ve added a little more ground beef to make it thicker, and now use black beans instead of kidney beans just because I like them.

A cup of chili is a favorite lunch, but a big bowl is great on a cold night, served with a dollop of sour cream, a sprinkling of Cheddar cheese, a few corn chips, and some diced green onions. Or, if you’re in the diet phase of the year, you can just serve it without all the trappings.

Happy cooking in the New Year!

In a large Dutch oven, saute onion, green pepper and garlic in butter for a minute, until wilted. Add ground beef and brown. Drain off fat. Add all other ingredients except beans, stir well, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and allow the chili to simmer about 2 hours, uncovered, until the sauce is very thick. Add beans about 30 minutes before serving and allow to simmer in the chili.

Serves 6.