OK, so I really fell down on the clock for #letslunch this month. As usual, it snuck up on me, like, WHAM!
So, what I have to offer up this month, is not my own recipe, not even a dish I cooked this week, but it is the most recent bowl of chili I have eaten:
Dave is my very dear father-in-law and every year on New Year's Day he makes a big pot of his very excellent chili. I missed out on the day-of festivities this year, but Jake brought some home for me, and it was just as delicious as ever.
So, here's the recipe Dave emailed me a couple months ago. I think the key is mixing the beef and the pork. It adds a little something I can't quite put my finger on to describe, short of just calling it "general awesomeness."
I'll try to update Friday afternoon with other #LetsLunch posts from around the country and globe! Want to join our monthly lunch date? Send us a tweet on the hashtag! I'm @emmacarew
DAVE'S CHILI RECIPE
1. Cook two diced onions in oil until soft.
2. Add two pounds of ground beef and one pound of pork. Cook till no longer pink and browned well. 3. Add three large cans of tomato sauce
4. Add one can of dark red kidney beans (we never liked beans all that much. It is all about the meat!)
5. Stir in three packages of McCormick's Chili Seasoning. Us the regular seasoning, not the mild or spicy. (Sorry for cheating, but I think it turns out great and tastes the same time after time). Cover and cook at a very low simmer for about 1 hour. It is a good base and you can always add from there if you want. Such as more heat.
Dave's notes: I always liked to make it a day in advance, as I believe it tastes better the more times you reheat it.
I also liked to serve with plenty of oyster crackers, cheese, sour cream and of course beer and chips..
**updated! final bread photos
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I almost didn't make it to #letslunch this month.
On Wednesday, I was 100% blindsided by this:
First I panicked and wished I had just saved my Thanksgiving post on gougeres. Then I thought maybe I would just sit this round out. But driving home last night, I decided on a happy middle ground: Dave's peasant bread (Dave is Jake's dad and also an awesome cook). He made this bread for Thanksgiving and It. Is. Awesome.
So, here's the "cheat" -- my bread isn't done yet. In order to develop jaw-dropping-mmm-inducing flavor, this baby sits and sits and sits (first in the fridge, then just room temp) for 12 hours, then 18 hours. We're at about hour 7 of the second rise as I write...
So, the bread starts with a little yeast (I used about 1/2 packet), 1 cup wheat flour, 2 cups white/bread flour, and a pinch of salt. This is essentially a no-knead, long rise bread, so I just started all of my ingredients in my new red-and-polka-dot dutch oven.
Mix in some water - about 2 cups. You want a wet, shaggy dough to form.
Mix together well until all of the flour mixture is absorbed.
Put a lid on it, stick it in the fridge for 12 hours. (see, I told you my baker was cute! It might not be a "real" Dutch oven... but it was $20 at Home Goods)
This morning, I took a quick peek at my dough, then left it out on the counter to rise. I'm so excited to bake it tomorrow!
***Updated: here's the final product:
I couldn't wait to taste it!
Recipe: Daves Peasant Bread
(it turns out I tweaked this a bit / looked at the measurements wrong last night -- the ingredients call for 2 1/2 cups bread/white flour, 1/2 cup wheat flour... my bad)
* Combine ingredients in a large bowl, add water and cover with plastic. Refrigerate up to 12 hours. If you're in a rush, you can skip this step.
* Let dough rise 18 hours in a warmish/room temp place. Then sprinkle work surface with flour, and fold dough over itself to form a square or ball shape.
* Line a baking sheet with parchment and dust with flour. Place dough and cover with a kitchen towel. Allow to rise 2-3 more hours.
* Preheat a dutch oven (w/o the lid) for 30 minutes at 450 degrees. Transfer the dough to the pot, bake 30 minutes covered, then 15-30 minutes uncovered. Turn out and cool.
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#letslunch is a monthly "gathering" of food-loving writers from all over, hosted by Cheryl Tan, of A Tiger In The Kitchen.
We agree on a date and a theme, then each blogger presents his or her recipe on the chosen date (today).
If you are interested in joining, please send a Tweet using the hashtag and introduce yourself!
