Soups and Stews

Bill & Barrie's Most Excellent Chili
by Bill & Barrie

• 2 pounds ground beef
• 1 pound Italian sausage, skinned and crumbled
• salt and pepper
• 1 - 2 x 28 ounces large cans of whole stewed tomatoes
• 5 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon whole cumin seeds
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 4 - 8 cloves garlic, chopped
• 4 chili peppers, chopped and optionally peeled
• 2 roasted sweet red peppers
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 ounce dark or bittersweet chocolate
• 12 ounces bottle of dark beer
• 3 tablespoons chili powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1 x 15 ounces can of kidney beans
• 1 x 15 ounces can of pinto beans
• (optional) Chipotle or Adobo peppers. These are available dried or in a pepper sauce.

1. Optional: Grill the chili peppers and red peppers. The chili peppers should be grilled until the skin starts to turn black. This makes the skin of the chili peppers very easy to remove.
2. Brown the ground beef and sausage.
3. Add the ground beef and sausage to the stewed tomatoes in a stock pot. Bring to a boil and then simmer.
4. Heat oil in frying pan. Add cumin seed and let them sizzle for a few seconds, but be careful not to burn them.
5. Add the chopped onions and garlic and sauté for a few minutes.
6. Add the fresh chili peppers and red peppers.
7. Sauté for a few more minutes until the onions are a bit soft.
8. Add the mixture to the pot.
9. Add beer, chocolate and spices.
10. Cook for at least 2 hours. Add beans about 30 minutes before you are ready to serve.