Best Chili Recipe: The Super Bowl Gourmet

SHOCKER: I'm not really the biggest sports fan. But I do love to cook, and being from Texas and all, I take chili-making very seriously. (In fact, even in a high school for young artists located in downtown (cosmo!) Dallas, the big event of the year was our chili cook off.) Since I'm attending a Super Bowl party today, yesterday was spent searching high and low for the absolute best recipe I could find, and since none were up to my um, dizzyingly high standards, here's what I cobbled together. And I gotta tell you, it's the best chili I've ever made: Unexpected ingredients like unsweetened cocoa and chipotle give it a rich flavor, but beer and chorizo give it balance and kick. 

Chipotle Chocolate Gourmet Chili

Ingredients:

2 1/2 lb. lean chuck, ground
1 lb. ground chorizo (pork)
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 cup finely chopped onion
8 oz. tomato sauce
8 oz. chipotle sauce (with tomato base)
1 cup water
1 bottle beer (12 oz.)
3 Tablespoons chili powder
2 Tablespoons instant bouillon (or 6 cubes)
2 Tablespoons cumin, ground
2 teaspoons paprika
2 teaspoons oregano leaves
2 teaspoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon coriander, ground
1 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa
1 teaspoon cornmeal
1 teaspoon flour
1 teaspoon warm water

OPTIONAL:
I added one can corn, one can black beans, one can kidney beans, two finely chopped carrots and one fresh (chopped jalapeno) to add some veggie love.

Directions:

1. In a large saucepan brown the ground meat (the beef and the pork) and drain the fat.

2. Return to pan and add the garlic and onion; cook and stir until tender.

3. Transport meat to large pot and add the tomato sauces, water, beer, chili powder, bouillon, cumin, paprika, oregano, sugar, coriander, cocoa, and optional vegetables. Mix well.

4. Bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 2 hours.

5. In a small bowl, stir together the cornmeal and flour, then add the warm water and mix well.

6. Stir into chili and cook, covered, for about 20 more minutes.

7. Serve with a sprinkling of queso, crema (Mexican-style sour cream) and for a hip, white trash edge, Fritos. (Yeah, that's right, I said Fritos.)

P.S. If you're as clueless as me when it comes to football, check Lemondrop's handy "Pigskin Primer" for a 101 overview of what in god's name they're doing in that stadium anyway.