I haven't had any dark chocolate I liked. Full admission: I've only had Americanized mass produced "dark chocolate."
I think American dark chocolate is actually more palatable, because they make it so damn sweet. The real stuff is bitter and totally an acquired taste, and people do that thing where they build up from like 70% to 90% like it makes them all bad-ass to like it, like getting used to spicier and spicier peppers, which also makes no sense to me. But I get it when it comes to dark strong beer or coffee or dry wine so I guess it's a different strokes thing. I'm definitely a milk chocolate girl. I'll trade my Special Darks for your Krackels and Mr. Goodbars any day, mulebear.
This is a 1 pot meal, made for days when you don't want to chop up or saute anything. It's not fancy, it has beans, and it's really delicious for something thrown together in less than 15 minutes.
1 tbsp olive oil
1 lb extra lean ground beef
2 15-oz cans of petite diced tomatoes, well-drained
1 15-oz can beans; kidney, black, navy, etc.
Spices:
1 (heaping) tbsp chili powder, medium hot
1 (heaping) tsp cumin
1 tsp adobo
1 tsp oregano
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp onion powder
Directions
Start with a deep pot. Heat the olive oil in it, then cook the ground beef till done and crumbly, about 7-10 minutes.
Add the 2 cans of tomatoes. Stir.
Add all the seasonings. Stir.
Add the beans. Stir.
Cover the pot. Set the heat on medium low and heat for an hour or so. Stir occasionally.
Serve with shredded cheddar cheese and oyster crackers for that true midwestern suburban taste. Or, take the time you aren't spending on chili, and bake up some cornbread.
Marinade:
1 head of garlic, lobes peeled and sliced across
1 onion, quartered roughly. They like it that way, the hoes.
2 sticks of celery, chopped
1 bayleaf
1 small bunch of fresh thyme
1 sprig of rosemary
1/3 bottle of red wine - something robust, not sour.
Stick all of this in a plastic baggy with the beef and let it sit in your fridge for at least 24 hours. I forgot about it and left it for 48 the other day and the result was excellent.
Stew:
2 pounds of diced beef. Cheap cuts are fine as it will be marinated and stewed.
250 grams of lardons
3 sticks of celery, chopped
1 pound of shallots, or 3 large onions, chopped.
5 medium potatoes, peeled and quartered.
4 carrots, cut into chunks
2 parsnips, cut into small chunks
feel free to add whatever vegetable you want here - it will have to be hardy enough to stand up to 2 hours in the oven though.
Get something that has a lid and can go into the oven.Throw the vegetables into it. Whew that was hard!
Drain the marinated beef and pat dry. Keep the liquid, discard the veg.
Add the liquid to your stew.
Coat the beef with plain flour, and season with salt and pepper.
Brown the beef quickly on all sides on high heat with a little butter. Add to your dish.
Deglaze the pan with another glass of wine. Scrape all the goodness up and add to the dish.
Fry off the lardons until the fat starts to render out. Discard most of the fat, then add as well.
Add tablespoon of plain flour.
Add about 1 liter of good chicken stock, or until everything is just covered. Add about 3 shakes of Worcestershire sauce.
Stew all this in the oven for an hour or two, until the veg is nicely done. Serve in a bowl with some rustic bread, or with some mashed potato if you are from a country with a potato fetish.
I call shennanigans! There are zero kittens or babbies in this recipe!
Ah. Good point. It should probably be called Heretical Heretic Chili. However, I called it Heretic Chili because it uses ground beef and beans, and purists abhor both, IIRC.
Okay, I'ma open with a top favorite of mine that no cookbook would be complete without. Every one I've given this recipe to or made it for has unreservedly raved about it, even the salad-hating, picky-eating doubters.
Made these tonight for vegan friends, and they were a huge hit. Where'd you get the recipe? they wanted to know. So I told them the truth: I invented it myself!
SteveF shared this recipe at TR. It's such a huge hit with my family. My "at college" son requested it last time he was home.
Quote:
Originally Posted by SteveF
Cooked a really tasty farsi inspired Indian curry. Will give whole recipe so others can cook it. Recipe strictly for 4 but this made quite a nice amount for 3 people:
8 chicken pieces - I got 4 drumsticks and 4 thighs
12 dried apricots
3 tbsps veg oil
2 cinnamon sticks
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
2 medium onions, peeled and cut into fine half rings
3 tsps finely grated fresh ginger
1 tbsps tomato puree
1.5 tbsps granulated sugar
2 tbsps red wine vinegar
1 tsp garam masala
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1) sprinkle the chicken all over with 1 tsp salt and lots of freshly ground pepper
2) put the apricots in pan with 250ml water, boil until soft but still coherent. 15 mins rougly. keep the cooking liquid
3) put oil in pan and over medium heat, fry the cinnamon and cumin for 10 secs, then add half the chicken and brown on all sides. remove then do the same to the rest of the chicken and remove that
4) add the onions and fry till browning at the edges. add ginger and fry for a few secs, then the puree and stir once. add the chicken and its juices back into the pan, with 350ml water and 1 tsp salt. stir. cover, bring to boil then cook gently for 15 minutes, turning chicken over once
5) remove the cover and add the sugar, vinegar, apricots and their cooking liquid, garam masala and cayenne pepper. cook over high heat till sauce a bit syrupy.
1/4 to 1/2 cups sugar
1 large fist full of fresh mint leaves
3 to 4 cups of mixed fruit
Place the sugar and mint leaves in a blender or food processor and pulse until you end up with green sugar. Toss the mint sugar with your choice of fruits, cover, and then refrigerate for a couple of hours.
For mixed fruits, we recommend tossing any, or all of, the following:
Cherries
Nectarines
Plums
Apple
Grapes
Blackberries
Strawberries
Blueberries
Mango
Apricot
Stir the mix before serving.
Dessert; Fruit; Mint; Topping
Bear notes: Served with a dollop of vanilla whipped cream is a nice touch. The fruit is also good in Greek yogurt or as a topping for vanilla ice cream.
Or simply eat the fruit mix as is.
Re: FF Cookbook Thread
Sonoma Bear
You are dead to me. 
cookbook would be complete without. Every one I've given this recipe to or made it for has unreservedly raved about it, even the salad-hating, picky-eating doubters.
Linear Mode
