Chili con carne

The fire's blazing as I sit at home in East Hampton after a busy day in the "Little Kitchen". We've had Chili con carne specials for years. It's a good winter dish that supports the breakfast list as an omelet filler (Chili and jack cheese) and by the bowl at lunch.The recipes we use have come from the back of our minds as Raul and I improvise our way through the short, cold days of February.

This recipe is being organized with continuity in mind. As Auggie, our hard working prep cook aspires toa sous chef position, writing a chili recipe for Auggie is a labor of love. Today's Chili con carne and Jack Cheese Omelet was a hit, we also saw several tables share the Chili and Cheese Dip special with guacamole and corn chips.

Serves a party of 10

1 cup celery, diced fine

1 cup carrots, diced fine

3 cups onion, diced a bit larger

5 jalapeno peppers, seeded and chopped

1 pound ground beef

2 cups, shredded braised pork shoulder

2 cups dried red kidney beans, simmered in water until soft

4 cups canned, chopped tomato

3 tablespoons garlic powder

3 tablespoons chili powder

2 tablespoons ground cumin

2 teaspoons kosher salt

1 cup red wine

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

Start the beans in a pot full of water at least 1/2 hour prior, over medium flame, do not add any salt.

In another pan bring the vegetables together with oil over a medium flame stirring occasionally until soft. Then add the ground beef, stir until browned. Next add the shredded pork, tomato, wine and spices. Drain any excess liquid from the beans, add to the main pot. Simmer for an hour.

Serve in a bowl topped with cheese, place under a broiler for a minute then add a spoonful of guacamole & corn chips for dipping.

To bad we don't have a fire at The Little Kitchen, on a day like this (temp. 22) we sure could use one. It's nice to have the chili (which is mild) and a bottle of hot sauce to warm the souls at our counter.

One legged Shepherds pie

This recipe was developed because last nights roasted chicken went uneaten. I call it "One Legged Shepherds Pie" because it seems logical that after loosing a leg, a sheep herder might scale back to chickens.

If you don't have time to make the chicken stock from scratch its ok to make the sauce by combining 16oz of chicken broth from a can with 1 tablespoon of tomato paste (double concentrated, from a tube "Amore") and 1/2 cup Merlot or other red wine in a sauce pan and reduce by more than 1/2 (about 1 cup).

1 roasted chicken (3lb), meat off the bone (cut meat into 1/2 inch cubes)

4 medium yellow potatoes (peeled and quartered)

1/2 cup whole milk

3 tablespoons butter (unsalted)

1 teaspoon salt

2 carrots, peeled and diced

1 large shallot, chopped

2 celery stalks, rinsed and chopped

2 cups frozen peas

2 tablespoons fresh oregano, chopped

2 tablespoons parsley, chopped

salt and pepper to taste

When your chicken sauce is ready add the frozen peas to the warm sauce and remove from heat. Then add the cut chicken, then the herbs. In a small saute pan combine the carrots, onion and celery then heat through until soft with a splash of veg. oil. Now add the vegetables to the chicken and peas.

Meanwhile, bring 1/2 quart of water to a boil and cook the potatoes until soft. Then strain the water and add the milk salt and butter, whip with a stiff hand whisk to mash.

In a 6x4 inch casserole or iron skillet (3 inches deep) first add the chicken and vegetable mixture then spread the mashed potatoes over the top.

Preheat the oven to 350 and place on the center rack, cookingfor 1/2 hour. Serve family style with a spoon and a salad inanother bowl.

I think a one legged shepherd might like some lambs tongue or dandelion greens in his salad, perhaps some mushrooms from a near by forest cooked with ramps from the edge of the stream in a spoonful of the fat off the chicken stock. Toss all with a splash of red wine that's gone stale in the back of his storage box and season to taste with salt and pepper.

He might even invite a shepherd with 2 legs to join him.