February 14, 2002

DICK’S SPECIAL BYC CHILI

This recipe is complex and is completed in several steps or elements. The chili you will produce has much flavor and little or no heat, though eight to twelve Habeneros and as many Jalapenos are included in the chili. You will produce between four and five gallons of chili from this recipe. The availability of ingredients by volume dictates the total volume of the finished chili.

THE PEPPERS

A word of warning about Habenero peppers. These peppers are extremely hot and must be treated and handled with great care. Wear rubber gloves and do not touch your face or anything else until you have washed your hands, with the gloves on, with a dishwashing detergent. The same precautions apply to the Jalapenio. Remember the Habenero is one thousand times hotter than the Jalipeno pepper, but both peppers must be treated with respect.

How to prepare the chili peppers, (Habeneros, Jalapenos, and Serrano). All peppers have a similar structure. They have a seedpod surrounded by an outer shell. The seed pod is attached to the top of the pepper and is held in place by four ribs, which extend down the inside of the outer shell to the bottom of the pepper.

Preparation of the peppers for use in this chili involves removing the top of the pepper, the seedpod, and the bottom of the pepper. The remaining shell is what will be used in the chili. Note: you can control the heat by the amount of ribs you allow to remain on the outer shell. I remove all of the ribs from the Habeneros and all but one or two ribs from the Jalapenos.

THE PREPARATION

Start with the Habeneros. Remove the top, bottom, seedpod and ribs of all the Habeneros. If you rinse use cold water. The cold temps keep the gasses down. Cut the shell into strips then dice as small as you can. This gives more area for flavor development. Put the diced shell in a small bowl for use later on.

Do the same with the Jalapenos, the Serranos and the bell peppers. The bell peppers need not be so finely diced.

Next, we dice the chicken breasts. I try to make the pieces less than one inch in size. Set the diced chicken breasts aside for use later.

Next, we prepare the ground beef, the tomatoes, and tomato sauces for warming up. This portion of the chili is essentially a boiled sauce.

Empty the following into a large canning type kettle:

The diced and skinned tomatoes.

The tomato sauce.

The pasta sauce.

The tomato paste.

Add the ground beef and blend these ingredients until you have a thick sauce. Note: You are not using any heat at this time. All ingredients are cold.

Next, add the Italian Sausage to the sauce, be sure to fold the sausage into the sauce so that it is evenly distributed throughout the sauce.

Now, add the chopped peppers and fold them in so that they are also evenly distributed throughout the sauce.

You can now begin to heat the sauce. Slowly bring the temperature to just short of the boiling point, roughly 200 degrees f. Remember; keep stirring the sauce or it will burn on the bottom. While we are bringing the meat sauce up to temp, we will now prepare the diced chicken breasts.

THE DICED CHICKEN BREASTS

Use a large saucepan and prepare a sauce to sauté the chicken breasts as follows:

Add:

Extra Virgin olive oil: Two or three table spoons full.

Hawaiian Terriaki sauce: Two or three table spoons full.

Ginger Terriaki sauce: Two or three table spoons full.

Balsamic vinegar: Two or three table spoons full.

Sauté the diced chicken breasts until lightly cooked, then add the breasts sauce and all to the chili. Remember, keep stirring the chili while you cook the chicken.

FINISHING UP

Time to add the crushed pineapple and the chopped BBQ beef brisket and its sauce. Be sure to fold these in so that they are evenly distributed throughout the chili. We are not quite done because, now is the time to add the can of Vernor’s Ginger Ale. Pour it in slowly because it really likes to fizz. Be sure to fold it in as you pour.

Now add the boxes of sliced mushrooms and keep stirring the chili.

THE ORZO AND THE BEANS

Well we are nearly done. It is now time to prepare the Orzo. Follow the instructions on the package but use two or three tablespoons of olive oil in the water. Be sure to rinse with olive oil same as you would any other pasta. Prep time for the Orzo is about eighteen to twenty minutes. When the Orzo in drained and rinsed, add it to the chili pot and do not forget to keep stirring.

Add two cans of pinto beans, sauce and all, and keep stirring the chili.

THE FINISH

Bring your chili up to temp. Just short of the boil and let stand to cool, then to the refrigerator for over night. Don’t forget to keep stirring the chili.

Your chili will be ready to serve the next day.

DICK’S SPECIAL BYC CHILI

INGREDIENTS

THE TOMATOES

Ø Diced and skinned tomatoes: 3 large cans.

Ø Tomato Sauce: 1 large can.

Ø Pasta Sauce, Classico, Sutterhome, or Newman’s: 2 jars.

Ø Tomato Paste: 2 cans.

THE SURPRISES

Ø Vernor’s Ginger Ale: 1 can.

Ø Sliced Mushrooms: 2 boxes.

Ø Crushed Pineapple (Dole): 2 cans.

THE PEPPERS

Ø Habeneros: 10 peppers.

Ø Jalapenos: 10 peppers.

Ø Serrano: 6 peppers

Ø Bell Peppers, Red, Yellow, Orange: 1 each.

THE MEATS

Ø Lean ground beef 6%: 4 lbs.

Ø Italian Sausage mild, bulk: 1 lb.

Ø Chicken breasts, skinless and boneless: 4 or 3, need 2 lbs.

Ø BBQ beef brisket, chopped, have sauce on the side: 2 lbs. (Circle B, BBQ)

PASTA

Ø Orzo: 1 box.

Ø Bushes Pinto Beans 2 cans (16 oz)

OTHER

Ø Extra Virgin Olive Oil:

Ø Hawaiian Terriaki Sauce:

Ø Ginger Terriaki Sauce:

Ø Balsamic Vinegar: