BONFIRE CHILI

I love November. It brings back so many fond childhood memories, like those of Guy Fawkes Night in England. I can still remember the smell of spent gunpowder in the air and the huge blazing fire in our garden. Once a year in England, on November 5^th, we celebrate the foiling of the Gunpowder Plot of 1605. Unhappy conspirators, including the infamous Guy Fawkes, attempted to blow up the Houses of Parliament, its ministers, members, and King James 1^st.

When I was child, my brothers would build a replica Guyand go door to door, requesting a penny for him. An English tradition that has today been, to some extent, lost. The money raised would buy the fireworks. On the night, we would place the Guy at the very top of the bonfire and watch him burn.

The traditional food we used to eat was a baked potato (wrapped in foil and placed in the base of the bonfire to cook) and sausages roasted on sticks by the heat of the fire. We lit the fireworks and all enjoyed the wonderful display whilst eating.

As we grew past childhood, the night became a larger gathering of family and friends. My contribution as an adult was to cook my Chili. The fiery heat of the chili kept us warm on a cold November night.

Of course, this dish is a favorite any time of the year, but there is something special about serving it in November. I love this chili on top of a baked potato with a spoonful of sour cream and a few sprinkles of mature cheddar cheese. You can also serve it on a bed of boiled rice, topped with sour cream and cilantro.

INGREDIENTS

1- 11/2 lb ground beef

1 large onion finely chopped

2 tbsp tomato paste

2 tbsp Worcester sauce

1 beef bouillon cube

1 small bottle of beer

1 tin of diced tomatoes

2 garlic cloves crushed

½ tsp cayenne pepper

2 tsp chili powder

1 tsp ground coriander seed, dried oregano, dried thyme

1 tin of red kidney beans drained and rinsed

2 tbsp oil

Salt and pepper to taste

METHOD

1. Heat the oil in a large saucepan over a medium heat
2. Sauté the onion until soft and opaque then add the garlic and cook for one minute.
3. Add the ground beef breaking up the clumps as much as possible and cook until it has started to change from red to brown.
4. Stir in all of the other ingredients. I like to add the beer last and watch it fizz!
5. Reduce the heat to low and simmer the chili uncovered for about 2 hours stirring occasionally to avoid the mixture from sticking.
6. When the chili is ready, it should be very thick in its consistency.

Serves 4

NOTE:Do not be alarmed by the long cooking time of this chili. The liquids need to cook out and infuse the meat. Slow long cooking gives this dish its deep, flavorful taste.