4th Street Arts Annual Chili Cook-Off

[Image Source]

Today, we are taking a brief interlude from the "Healthy Living Series" on Food Judicata to talk about more important things -- Chili!

Yesterday, I had the opportunity to enjoy some sunshine and spicy chili at the Fourth Street Arts Annual Chili Cook-Off in Jersey City.  And the timing was quite fortuitous, not only was it Cinco de Mayo, but the weather was sunny and perfect to be outside for a chili cook-off!

For $5 per person, we each got a bracelet to  get to sample over 20 different types of chili prepared by individuals and local restaurants.  The cook-off was judged by local "celebrity" judges.  The spectators also got to vote for their picks for for Best Restaurant Chili and Best Individual.  

Here were my picks:

Best Restaurant - LITM - Spicy Lamb Sausage Chili

One thing I noticed about my own chili preferences is I prefer chilis that have different meats in them other than just ground beef.   I like that the different cuts of meat provide a different, more complex texture to the chili. As you can see here, there was a big ball of lamb sausage in this chili. Here's another look at the chili with the ingredient list.

 Best Individual - Jim's Chili

This one was so popular that they ran out before I could take a picture! Here's the ingredient list:

Once again, I preferred the chili that didn't use plain old ground beef as the featured meat.  What I liked about this chili was that they used beef short ribs, which had smoky chunks of tender beef as opposed to crumbs of ground beef. Not that I have anything against ground beef, but I found that other meats stood out in my memory better.  Which is important when you are tasting 20 different types of chili!

PJ Ryan's a local pub in Jersey City, also had an intriguing chili entry.  When I first saw their table, I saw they had the longest line of people! I thought, "Wow, they must have the best chili!"  Which is odd, when you think about it, because I don't think of an Irish pub when I think of great chili.  But as I got closer to the front of the line, I saw why the line was so long!

They were giving out shots of Jameson as a "palate cleanser"! No wonder they were so popular.  Here's a shot of J. getting his chili and whiskey shot.

If PJ Ryan's was trying to curry favor to the judges and tasters, it certainly worked! PJ Ryan's won both the Judge's Choice and tied with LITM for "People's Choice."  (Though, I still think they had a bit of an edge in the competition!)

Overall, I had a great time tasting different chilis at the Chili Cook-Off and can't wait until next year!

Related links:
The winners of the Chili Cook-Off on the Fourth Street Arts Facebook page
Article featuring the Chili Cook-Off winners on The Star Ledger
Fourth Street Arts

Spicy Chicken Enchilada Chili

I made this last weekend when "Winter Storm Nemo" hit the tri-state area (apparently naming winter storms is now a thing...). Cold snowy whether always makes me want to cook up a hot soup or stew in the crockpot.  I've made this chili before, but I wanted to adapt it to make it spicier.  I chose to make my own enchilada sauce because the store bought ones usually have tons of sodium in it, and it really doesn't take that much longer to make the sauce.

Spicy Chicken Enchilada Chili
Adapted from A Year of Slow Cooking

1 cup prepared enchilada sauce (recipe to follow)
3 stalks celery, chopped
1/2 large onion, chopped
4 cloves of garlic, removed from skins
1 can fire-roasted diced tomatoes
1 can low-sodium pinto beans
1 oz tomato paste (I bought a 6 oz can of tomato paste, so I used about 5 oz for the enchilada sauce, and used up the rest of the can for the chili)
1/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth
2 tsp chili powder
2 tsp cumin
1 Tbs chopped pickled jalapenos
dash of cayenne pepper
dash of crushed red pepper flakes
2 skinless boneless chicken breasts

Throw in all the ingredients except for the chicken breasts in to the crockpot. The order doesn't really matter  Mix to combine.  Place chicken breasts on top.  Cook on low for about 6-8 hours.  When done, take out chicken breasts and shred into bite size pieces with two forks and mix back into the chili.  Serve with cheddar cheese, sour cream, or more pickled jalapenos, if desired.

Enchilada Sauce
(adapted from Emeril Lagasse)

1 1/2 Tbs vegetable oil
1/2 Tbs all-purpose flour
1/8 cup (about 2 Tbs chili powder)
1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
About 5 oz tomato paste
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp dried oregano, crushed
1/2 tsp kosher salt
dash of cayenne pepper (to taste)

Heat vegetable oil on medium heat and stir in flour.  Cook for about a minute, stirring constantly.  Stir in chili powder, and cook for about 30 seconds more.  Add chicken broth, tomato paste, and remaining spices.  Stir to combine and bring to a boil.  Once boiling, lower the heat to low.  Cover and simmer for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Adjust seasonings to taste.

Chili, my way

I was went to a Chili Cook-off yesterday. I didn't enter my own chili, but I had fun as a taste-tester, and it put me in a chili state of mind.

Now, there are about a million ways to make chili, but this is chili, my way. Which means it is quick and with whatever ingredients I had on hand. I also didn’t measure any of the spices, so just start out with a little and adjust according to your taste.

½ lb ground beef
About ½ onion, chopped
1 can diced tomatoes
1 Tbs ketchup
1 ½ to 2 Tbs chili powder
½ tsp of cumin
¼ tsp of garlic powder
1 tsp sugar
Pinch of basil and oregano
Salt and pepper to taste
½ cup water

1. Cook beef and onions until the beet is browned and the onions are soft
2. Stir in chili powder, cumin, and garlic powder. Cook for about a minute
3. Add tomatoes, sugar, ketchup and water. Bring to a boil. Once it starts bubbling, lower the heat to a simmer.
4. Add salt and pepper and adjust seasonings to taste. Simmer for about another 10 minutes
5. Add cheddar cheese for garnish. Serve with tortilla chips or rice*
* So some purists, such as my friend Molly, would be horrified to find that I am serving chili with rice. But this is chili my way, and all I had was rice. Sorry, Molly!