chili time!

Every now and then, it gets cold in Pecan Springs, and I start thinking about cooking up a pot of chili for supper.

Yesterday, I was leafing through Chile Death, one of Susan’s mysteries, looking for the recipe for Pedernales chili (in Texan, that’s pronounced Purd-NAL-is). I found some notes about chile peppers that I thought might interest you. You might like the mystery, too--although I'm not crazy about the part where I nearly got roasted. Anyway, here are Susan's notes, and that recipe. Maybe it's a good day for chili in your neck of the woods.

The recorded history of the genus Capsicum begins with Columbus, who undertook his voyage of discovery in search of (among other things) black pepper, the most valuable of Eastern spices. Columbus did not find what he was looking for, but, he bit into something better. He became the first European to blister his tongue on a hot pepper.

There are about twenty species and hundreds of varieties in the genus Capsicum, indigenous to tropical America. In their native habitat, they are perennial and woody, growing to seven feet tall, though in American gardens they are grown as annuals, reaching a height of three feet. Two highly variable species of genus provide New World peppers--the red peppers. Bell peppers, pimento, paprika, chili, and cayenne peppers all belong to the species Capsicum annuum. The Tabasco peppers come from Capsicum frutescens, grown commercially in the Gulf states and New Mexico.--Steven Foster, Herbal Renaissance

Neuroscientists believe that when a concentrated solution of capsaicin [the chief chemical compound in chiles] is rubbed on the skin, the resulting burning causes pain messengers (Substance P) to notify the brain to start producing endorphins [natural painkillers]. However, on the skin, capsaicin apparently destroys the Substance P that is attracted to the site....Liniments [containing capsaicin] work on this principle, and capsaicin is the active ingredient of creams for painful skin and nerve conditions including shingles and neuralgia.--Carolyn Dille and Susan Belsinger, The Chile Pepper Book

On the origin of chili: "Before going on the trail, cowboys were known to pound dried beef, beef fat, dried chile peppers and salt into a brick-like compound, which they would add to a few cups of boiling water when it came time to eat. With an abundant supply of Texas longhorns on hand, meat chili became the West's most popular dish."--Chili Pepper Magazine, December, 1996

You can always judge a town by the quality of its chili.--Will Rogers

Pedernales Chili

4 lbs ground lean beef
1 large onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp ground oregano
1 tsp ground cumin
3 tblsp chili powder
2 #2 cans tomatoes
2 cups hot water
salt to taste

Brown ground beef in heavy iron skillet. Add onion and garlic and cook 4-5 minutes. Add remaining ingredients and simmer one hour. When cool, skim fat. Better on the second day, when the flavors have mellowed.

This is Lady Bird Johnson's recipe. She used to carry it with her on a card and hand it out whenever anyone asked for her favorite chili recipe.

P.S. Susan says to tell you that in Illinois, where she grew up, beans (preferably red kidney beans) were an essential ingredient of chili. But one of the things she learned when she moved to Texas was that Texans NEVER put beans in their chili. Pity.

P.P.S. There's a different chili recipe on the Chile Death page. It's good, too!

Comments

[Pam]

I just finished making a southwestern recipe *with* beans!
As I was reading through Lady Bird Johnson's chili recipe, I was wondering where the beans were! Thank you for answering the question about the beans. Texans are missing out!