Uncle Fats' Tasty Meal of the Week

Here's what I made yesterday and it was the best chili I've ever made, according to my wife. We had it with a little shredded cheddar and Tostito Baked Scoops. I cut the beef up into pretty small chunks (as Carroll Shelby says on his Chili Mix, which is quite good "about the size of your pinky toe.") It's very fun to make, and the moment of truth is when you throw all the meat back in the post and stir in all the spices. Wow. Enough for 2+ meals around here.

Beef, Black Bean, and Chorizo Chili
Cooking Light, NOVEMBER 2007

Serve with classic condiments such as sour cream, chopped green onions, and shredded cheddar cheese. For a thinner chili, cook covered the whole time. You can prepare it a day ahead and refrigerate, or up to two weeks ahead and freeze (be sure to thaw the chili overnight in the refrigerator). Look for masa harina, the corn flour used to make tortillas, in the Latin foods aisle at the supermarket, or substitute fine-ground cornmeal. Use kitchen shears to cut up the tomatoes in the can.

2 links Spanish chorizo sausage (about 6 1/2 ounces), thinly sliced
1 1/2 pounds beef stew meat
1 1/2 cups chopped onion
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 (7-ounce) can chipotle chiles in adobo sauce
3 tablespoons tomato paste
2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons unsweetened cocoa
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 cup dry red wine
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
2 (14-ounce) cans less-sodium beef broth
1 (28-ounce) can whole tomatoes, undrained and chopped
2 tablespoons masa harina
2 (15-ounce) cans pinto beans, rinsed and drained
1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained

Heat a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add chorizo to pan; sauté 3 minutes or until browned. Remove chorizo from pan. Add half of beef to pan; sauté 5 minutes or until browned. Remove beef from pan. Repeat procedure with remaining beef. Add onion and garlic to pan; sauté 3 minutes.

Remove 4 chipotle chiles from can, and chop. Reserve remaining chiles and sauce for another use. Add chorizo, beef, chopped chiles, tomato paste, and next 6 ingredients (through ground cumin) to pan, and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Stir in red wine, lime juice, beef broth, and tomatoes; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.

Gradually stir in masa harina. Add pinto beans and black beans; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 30 minutes.

Yield: 10 servings (serving size: about 1 cup chili)

CALORIES 325 (30% from fat); FAT 11g (sat 3.8g,mono 4.7g,poly 1g); IRON 4.7mg; CHOLESTEROL 53mg; CALCIUM 104mg; CARBOHYDRATE 31.4g; SODIUM 898mg; PROTEIN 25g; FIBER 8.4g