The Friki Tiki Kookbook - Foodstuffs

Chili Beauchamp

his is my proudest creation, concocted over about a two-year period from other recipes and by adding ingredients to taste. Note that the use of salsa instead of stewed tomatoes allows fairly accurate control over spiciness. I prefer Safeway Select's salsa, as it's loaded with veggies, including corn and black beans.

And the award? Well, it was just second-place in the Potomac News chili cook-off in 1997, but still. Apparently I would have done better (hmmm, and what would that have meant?) had one judge not been offended by the consistency. It's thick enough to stand a spoon in, and it looks like the meat from a barbecue sandwich. Ah, well. Maybe next time.

3 1/2 pounds of stew beef
1/4 cup of salad oil
4 cloves of garlic
2 medium onions, chopped
3 peppers (red, yellow, green), diced
56 ounces of salsa
1 12 ounce can of tomato paste
4 15 ounce cans of black beans (2 drained, 2 undrained)
2 7 ounce cans of corn "niblets"
2 tablespoons of sugar
1 teaspoon of basil
3/4 teaspoon of black pepper
1/3 cup of chili powder
2 teaspoons of coriander
2 tablespoons of cumin
1/2 teaspoon of fennel
2 teaspoons oregano
2 teaspoons of salt
1/2 cup tequila
Juice of one lemon-sized lime

Cut beef into 1/2" cubes. Brown in oil, add onions, peppers and garlic. Heat about 10 minutes. Add salsa, paste, beans, spices. Heat to boiling. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for at least 90 minutes. (Even better if simmered longer ... like all night.)

To keep there from being chunks of meat without chili flavor soaked all through them, smoosh the meat against the side of the pot peridiocally during stirring. Eventually, the chunks turn into shreds of beef, mixed all the way through. Very thick, very filling.

Immediately prior to serving, stir in tequila and lime juice. If this is too thick, especially on reheating, add additional salsa.

Feeds a small army.