Chili Con Carne (by The Real Group)

As promised, I am going to post another Mexican inspired dish for this week. Today's recipe is "Chili!".

Today's recipe is based on the lyrics of "Chili Con Carne" sung by The Real Group, a cappella group from Sweden. I love this song, but always wondered if the recipe works or not. So, I tried it. There are a few things that I changed. For example, I added tomato paste as well as ripe fresh tomatoes. Also, I think the recipe needs some liquid... for which I am going to use brown ale to add deep flavor. (Chili con carne means 'chili with meat'.)

Okay, now... play the music and, as the song says, let's make it.
(Oh, and, by the way, don't forget the Mexican spices!)

"Chili Con Carne" by The Real Group


Lyrics to song "Chili Con Carne" by The Real Group:

Take some ripe and fresh tomatoes, put them in a bowl with oil. Add the onions, strong and tasty, on the stove you let it boil. Choose the finest meat you get from cow or pig, it doesn't matter. Beans and jalapeño peppers, necessary is to this. But don't forget, don't forget the Mexican spices, the spices, the heart of the art of the cooking. Oh no! don't forget, don't forget the Mexican spices, without them you won't get the flavor of sunshine. Chili con carne, chili con carne, chili con carne, chili con carne, chili con, con, con carne, con, chili con carne, aha, let's make it. Chili con carne, chili con carne, chili con carne, chili con carne, chili con, con, con carne, con, chili con carne, aha, that's good! Eat your chili nice and slowly to prevent a stomachache, crisp tortillas on your plate will sound so nicely when they break. When your mouth gets full of fire you might need something to drink, one or two or three or four or seven beers will be enough.

But don't forget, don't forget the Mexican spices, the spices, the heart of the art of the cooking. Oh no! don't forget, don't forget the Mexican spices, without them you won't get the flavor of sunshine. Chili con carne, chili con carne, chili con carne, chili con carne, chili con, con, con carne, con, chili con carne, aha (aha) Chili con carne, chili con carne, chili con carne, chili con carne, chili con, con, con carne. Just don't forget, don't forget the Mexican spices, the spices, the heart of the art of the cooking. Oh no! don't forget, don't forget the Mexican spices, without them you won't get the flavor, the flavor of Mexican sunshine. Chili con carne, chili con carne, chili con carne, chili con carne, chili con, con, con carne, con, chili con carne, aha, let's eat! Chili con carne, chili con carne, chili con carne, chili con carne, chili con, con, con carne, chili con carne, chili con, chili con carne, chili con, con, con carne, aha!

Chili Con Carne (by The Real Group)
(Yield: 4-5 servings / Cooking time: 1.5 hours)

Ingredients:

+ 1 lb ground beef + one large heirloom tomato (or 2-3 vine tomatoes) + 1/2 large onion + 1/4 cup dry kidney beans* + one jalapeño + 2-3 garlic cloves + 1 tsp cumin + 1 tsp dried oregano + 1 tsp paprika + 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

+ 2 tsp tomato paste + 1 cup of brown ale + 1 cup of water or beef broth + 1-2 bay leaves + one white corn tortilla + cheddar cheese + scallion + salt and pepper + vegetable oil

* Soak the dry kidney beans in water for at least 4 hours, ideally overnight. Then, drain them.




Procedures:
1. First and most important, Mexican spices! Combine the spices - cumin, dried oregano, paprika, cayenne pepper - and mix the spices with tomato paste.


2. Prepare your vegetables. Chop onion and tomatoes, and finely chop garlic and jalapeño. For jalapeño, please remove the white inside core and veins as much as possible.


3. In a pot, drizzle vegetable oil, and add chopped tomatoes and onions. Sweat the tomatoes and onions until onion becomes transparent and the water from tomatoes are almost reduced to dry. Then, add finely chopped garlic and jalapeño peppers (necessary is to this!).


4. Push the vegetable mixture to the side of a pan, and add ground beef. Season the beef with salt and pepper. Sauté until the beef becomes slightly browned. Now add the Mexican spice paste made from step #1. Cook a few minutes more by mixing the paste and meat mixture. Then, add beans, which have been soaked in water at least for 4 hours.


5. Pour one cup of brown ale and one cup of water (or beef broth), and add one or two bay leaves. Bring the chili to a boil, cover the pot with a lid, then reduce the heat and simmer the chili for an hour until the beans are cooked and all the flavors have melted together.


6. While the chili is simmering, cut a white corn tortilla and fry to crisp. Also, grate cheddar cheese and chop scallion to sprinkle on top of chili.

7. When the chili is ready, adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper. Top it with tortilla, cheddar and chopped scallion before serving.



Enjoy your Chili Con Carne with one or two or three or four or seven beers.
(Chili con carne tastes even better the next day!).