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Hatch Chile ‘Chili’

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Hatch Chile ‘Chili’

Serves 6  | Prep Time: 15 minutes | Cook Time: 35-40 minutes

Hatch chiles, a seasonal delicacy in Texas, screams chili to me. Though I typically
reserve the dish for warm comfort food, I couldn’t resist. If you can’t find hatch chiles
look for Anaheim or poblano varietals.

Ingredients

6 guajillo chiles (sub ancho), stem removed and seeded
1 white onion, peeled and halved
3 cloves garlic
4 cups water
2 pounds ground beef, grass fed if possible
1 white onion, small dice
1 teaspoon ground cumin
2 teaspoons cacao powder
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
3 tablespoons tomato paste
1,14oz can kidney beans
4 hatch chiles, fire roasted, skins peels and diced into 1/2-inch pieces
To serve: your favorite kind of rice

Chef Tips

To fire roast use a grill or your gas flame (if you have a gas stove) and char
the skins all over until blackened. Place in a bowl and cover. Allow to sweat until the
skins are very easy to peel off. Alternative you can cook them under a broiler with the
rack on the top.

Preparation

Step 1
Place the dried chiles, onion, garlic and water in a pot. Bring to a simmer and cook until the
chiles are tender; about 15 minutes. Place in a blender (be careful and start the blender on the
lowest setting with a towel protecting your hand) and blend until smooth. Set aside

Step 2
Heat a dutch oven over medium high heat. Brown the beef and stir breaking up the
beef. Season with salt. Cook until most of the natural moisture has come out. Transfer
to a bowl. Brown the onion and season season with salt. Add in the cumin, cacao,
cinnamon and tomato paste. Cook for another minute.

Step 3
Add the beef, kidney beans and the chile broth. Bring to a simmer and cook for 20-25
minutes for the flavors to meld together. Stir in the hatch chiles. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.