Family dinners are back in style, and I can’t think of a single good reason for letting them lapse in the first place. I can think of a few factors contributing to the stoppage however. The largest of these is the period of time I spent living alone. I didn’t entertain nearly as much living alone as I had before, in the heyday of the weekly dinners. I guess we have some making up to do.
The focus this time around has been simple: Tia and Kevin’s cornbread. The entree has merely been a vehicle for them bringing the blessed pan of goodness. I’ve managed to con them into bringing it two weeks in a row now, and I wonder how long I can keep it up. There has to be a hard limit on the number of dishes cornbread will go with. Well, maybe not for me personally, but certainly for others. I have a feeling I’ll start scrambling pretty soon, trying to keep cornbread dreams alive.
Now on to the good stuff, the recipes! What follows are a detailing of my kitchen work for the two dinners. For the most part, I won’t be posting anything as scientific as precise measures, weights or volumes. This is art people!
Week 1, Chili
2lb ground chicken, browned
1 poblano, 1 green, 2 anneheim, 1 serrano and 1 jalapeno peppers, roasted until blackened, skin and dice.
1 can beans (pinto was my choice)
2 small cans of tomato sauce
Water, enough to just cover above
1/4-1/3 cup of ground ancho chillies, according to taste. (use chili powder if you have to)
1 small onion, finely diced
2-3 cloves garlic finely diced
2-3 pinches cumin, according to taste
2-3 pinches of oregano, according to taste
Cayenne pepper, according to taste
Salt, according to taste
Ok, simmer all of that for at least 1 hour, but the longer the better. A half hour before you intend to serve, add:
2-3 spoonfuls of masa mixed into enough cup cold water to make a pourable mixture.
Simmer until ready to serve. Especially tasty with cornbread.
Week 2, Stew
2lb stew meat, cubed, quick seared on all edges, placed in the bottom of large pot.
3-4 potatoes cubed similarly as, and placed on top of, the meat.
4-5 carrots, cut similarly as, and on top of, the potatoes
4-5 small stewing onions
2-3 garlic cloves chopped
1 box of beef stock, added to all the above
Equal parts Red Wine and Guinness Extra Stout, enough to top off the stock and cover the solids. (Drink the rest)
1-2 dashes Worcestershire Sauce.
Salt to taste
2-3 pinches Thyme, to taste
3 Bay leaves
Simmer for 2 hours, at least, but longer if possible. About a half hour before serving:
Brown 1/2 cup flour in an equal part of butter (I reduce the butter a bit and add a bit of olive oil). When the flour is toasted a bit, add some simmering liquid, a bit at a time, mixing until the roux is pourable. Use to thicken stew to your own preference and simmer until ready to serve. Again, exceptional with cornbread.
Report Card
Overall, I was happy with both dishes. The chili was pretty money. I was very pleased with how well the roasting of multiple peppers went, especially. Their overall contribution to flavor was outstanding. I think the stew could use some improvement. I thought it was very tasty, yes, but I would have liked to have tasted it at about 5-6 hours of simmering. I might need a crockpot.