A REALLY SNAZZY CHILI AVEC LE BOEUF

Ingredients:



2 lbs ground sirloin
5 strips thickly sliced bacon cut into small pieces
2 tbsp canola oil for sautéing onion and garlic
2 tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
2 tsp salt
1 tsp coarsely ground black pepper
1 large sweet onion, torn in thumb-sized pieces
4 cloves garlic chopped
1 cup beef broth
2 cans 4 oz fire-roasted green chiles
1 can 15 oz pinto beans, drained
1 can 14.5 oz diced fire-roasted tomatoes
1 can 15 oz tomato sauce
1 ½ cups sliced, bite-sized unpeeled carrots
2 tsp dried basil
3 tsp rubbed sage
1 tsp cumin
3 tsp chili powder
2 tsp oregano
1 tsp ground ginger
1 knob butter (about 3 oz)
½ cup turbinado sugar
1 cup Pinot Noir, good quality. Pinot grape is healthiest of grapes.


Procedure:

(1) Render bacon, set aside, and get rid of bacon fat save for two tbls. (2) Brown beef in remaing bacon fat and when browned mix in Worcestershire sauce, salt, and pepper and put in pot. (3) Sauté onion until translucent and add garlic. When garlic vapors, put in pot. (4) Add bacon and the rest of ingredients and cook slowly until carrots are tender but not mushy.

A large jar of tomato and basil pasta sauce may be substituted for the cans of tomatoes. Adjustments can be made according to taste, but Worcestershire sauce, butter, bacon, and wine are essential.

A variant: roasted shoepeg corn. Dry contents of can of shoepeg corn, place on cookie sheet covered with aluminum foil, spray with oil, roast for twenty-five minutes at 400°, turning three or four times. Add to chili before serving.

Serve heated with small chunks of extra sharp cheddar, accompanied by glass of Pinot Noir and saltine crackers.