Cat's 5-Bean Chorizo-Beer Chili

Try this delicious chilli recipe from my dear American friend Cat:

Ingredients:

1/4 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil (approximately)

1 green pepper, chopped

1 yellow onion, chopped

2 stalks celery, chopped

2 cloves large garlic, diced

2 lbs. chorizo sausage, cut in 1-inch lengths (bulk is ok, but not best)

2 lbs. cubed sirloin, cut in 1/2" cubes

1 can diced, unseasoned tomatoes (any size)

1-2 7-oz. can(s) tomato paste, based on preference

1 bottle beer (Dos Equis Amber is great!)

Beef broth, to desired consistency

1 T sugar

2 T chili powder

1 T salt, to taste

Ground black pepper, to taste

Tabasco, to taste, if desired (Green is good if you want the flavor, but not the heat)

2-3 T chopped fresh cilantro, if desired (Forget it, if using dried)

1 15.2 (?) can dark red kidney beans

1 15.2 can light red kidney beans

1 15.2 can cannellini (white kidney) beans

1 15.2 can black beans

1 15.2 can black-eyed peas

Method:

1. Coat bottom of heavy stock pot or dutch oven with oil

2. When hot, reduce heat to medium and saute green pepper, onion, and celery until they begin to soften

3. Add garlic and lightly saute 

4. Add chorizo and beef and cook through (Be careful to stir often so garlic doesn't burn.)

5. Add diced tomatoes, paste, beer, broth, sugar, chili powder, salt, pepper, Tabasco, and cilantro and bring to a boil

6. Add beans and simmer for at least one hour.

Top with sour creme and/or shredded cheddar

Better on Day 2. Freezes well.

Finnish Red Root Soup (Punajuurisosekeitto)

This is a hearty soup and a staple in Finland. You need to find a source for 'smetana', a kind of specialist Russian/Finnish dairy product; but I am sure the hunt will be worth the time.

I was going to sanitise and re-write this recipe in my own style, but as you will see, my Finnish friend 'Mai' and I agreed to paste it direct. Here goes:

 Friend: i can give you the recipe to that red root soup but you neeeed smetana with it
 Me: I will use extra thick soured cream
 Friend: like a table spoon of it on top of on serving. tho i always shove two :D
 Friend: NO SOUR CREAM!
 Friend: it has to be smetana
 Me: I will have to find a baltic grocer store then ;D
 Friend: yeah
 Friend: you put 1L of water to boil
 Me: Probably either the Latvian or Estonian version
 Friend: ad a vegetable stock cube or whatever the fuck you people call it
 Me: just that
 Friend: one red onion
 Friend: 500g beetroot
 Friend: 3-5 potatos
 Friend: 1-2 clove of garlic
 Friend: 2,5dl cream
 Friend: thyme (optional)
 Friend: pepper and salt
 Friend: i don't usually put thyme in it but i thought to give it a go and it works just fine and changes the taste a lot
 Me: I would try both, but I fancy it more without thyme
 Friend: boil the veggies and at garlic and spices and the cream and use the uh..well some sort of blender or smasher to make it into that soup stuff
 Me: Hand blender
 Friend: and then get some rye bread and fry it with butter, garlic and parsley
 Friend: and eat it with the soup
 Friend: and shove shitload of smetana on your plate cos it's awesome
 Me: hahahahaha
 Friend: i should make recipes online my way of writing it isn't that typical :D
 Friend: you can aslo just make a straight copy of the text and say "this is the recipe i got from my friend unchanged. that's her way of giving out recipes."
 Me: I think you could start a recipe blog like mine
 Friend: i'm too lazy
 Friend: easier to just give you the recipes
 Friend: i generally can't cook worth shit
 Me: Do I have your permission to paste?
 Friend: go ahead

Enjoy!

Puy Lentils with Bacon and Peas

Puy lentils are both delicious and satisfying. In this recipe the lentils and peas are first boiled and then the flavour bomb of bacon, onions and garlic is added before serving.

Ingredients:

1 cup dried puy lentils

1 clove of garlic, peeled and whole

1 cup frozen garden peas

1 tablespoon of olive oil

2 rashers of smoked back bacon or Canadian bacon, cut into small pieces

1 cup finely chopped onion

1 clove of garlic, crushed

1 cup fresh halved cherry tomatoes

Method:

Boil the lentils and garlic clove in unsalted water until the lentils are tender and succulent. Add the frozen peas and cook for about 6 minutes until the peas are done. Drain and keep warm. Fry the bacon in the olive oil until crisp and add the onion. Reduce the heat a little and stir and fry until the onion is soft. Add the garlic and continue to stir and fry until the onions are beginning to caramelise. Now add the lentils and peas and stir to mix and re-heat the lentils. Season to taste and garnish with chopped fresh tomatoes.

Serving:

This dish can stand alone as a light lunch with a baked potato (pictured) or crusty bread and a rich shiraz, but it is equally at home on a buffet table or as a side dish to roasted meats and game.

Penne al Forno

Penne al forno is a classic Italian baked pasta dish and one of the world's greatest comfort foods. It is a winner with children too. Americans call it 'baked ziti' and use canned tuna or ground beef in the sauce. My recipe is cheap simple and tasty, using smoked bacon and cheddar cheese sauce.

Ingredients:

250g dried durum wheat pasta quills (penne or ziti)

Plenty of boiling water

2 tsp of salt

4 tablespoons of olive oil

4 rashers of good quality smoked bacon, finely diced

1 large onion, finely chopped

4 cloves of garlic, mashed

1 500g carton of sieved tomato passata

1 can of chopped Italian tomatoes

A generous pinch each of dried oregano and basil

1 tsp of sugar

1 tbsp of plain flour

250g grated mature cheddar cheese

Milk as required (see Method)

Milled black pepper and salt to taste
Fresh basil leaves to garnish.

Method:

Pasta: Boil the pasta in plenty of salted water and a drizzle of olive oil until it is slightly soft and nutty in texture. Do not overcook it at this stage because the cooking process is finished in the oven as it bakes. Drain the pasta and set aside.

Sauce: Using the same pan wiped dry, add 3 tablespoons of olive oil to heat until the oil is very hot. Add the finely diced bacon and fry until crispy. Add the onion and stir-fry with the bacon until it begins to soften. Add the garlic and stir for a few seconds to combine it. Add the passata and chopped tomatoes and bring to the boil, then reduce to a fast simmer. Add the dried herbs and sugar. Season with milled black pepper and simmer for 20 minutes, adding more water if the sauce begins to dry up. Taste and adjust seasoning where necessary. Remove the pan from the heat and add the cooked pasta to the pan. Stir to mix then transfer the mixture to a baking pan or oven-proof gratin dish, leaving enough room on top to accommodate the cheese sauce.

Cheese sauce: In a small saucepan, heat the remaining olive oil and add the flour. Stir to mix until all the flour is oily. Add milk and stir until the sauce thickens. Keep stirring and add more milk until you have a thick roux sauce. Add 2/3 of the grated cheese and stir to make a rich cheese sauce. Now layer the sauce over the pasta mixture. Sprinkle the remaining cheese over the sauce and season with more milled black pepper. Bake at 200 C (350 F) for 30 minutes until the cheese sauce starts to brown and bubble. Remove from the oven and allow it to stand for 10-15 minutes before serving. Garnish with fresh basil leaves.

Serving:

Serve generous portions on a plain white pasta plate with crusty Italian bread and a green salad on the side. Have plenty of Chianti Classico and/or Peroni beer to hand. Take your time and enjoy the food and the company - Italian style!

Dedicated to my dear friends and colleagues at Circle Housing Group.