Chili con Carne and Chili con Queso with Tortilla Chips

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon bacon fat or vegetable oil
• 1 1/2 pounds ground beef
• 2 cups chopped yellow onion
• 1 cup chopped green bell pepper
• 4 teaspoons minced garlic
• 2 tablespoons chili powder
• 1 tablespoon Essence, recipe follows
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne
• 1 (15-ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes
• 3 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 2 cups water
• Chili con Queso, recipe follows
• Multi-colored Tortilla Chips, accompaniment

Directions

Heat the oil in a large, heavy pot over medium-high heat. Add the meat and stir with a long-handled wooden spoon to break up the pieces. Cook, stirring, until the meat is brown and cooked through, about 5 minutes. Add the onion, green bell pepper, garlic, chili powder, Essence, salt, cumin, oregano, and cayenne, and cook, stirring, until soft, about 4 minutes. Put the whole tomatoes in a large mixing bowl and squeeze them with your hands to break them into pieces. Add the squeezed tomatoes and their juices, the tomato paste, sugar, and water to the pot. Stir well and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent the chili from sticking to the bottom of the pot. Remove the pot from the heat, ladle into a large bowl and swirl the Chili con Queso into the middle. Serve immediately with tortilla chips for dipping.

Essence (Emeril's Creole Seasoning):

• 2 1/2 tablespoons paprika
• 2 tablespoons salt
• 2 tablespoons garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon black pepper
• 1 tablespoon onion powder
• 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
• 1 tablespoon dried leaf oregano
• 1 tablespoon dried thyme

Combine all ingredients thoroughly and store in an airtight jar or container.

Yield: about 2/3 cup

Recipe from "New New Orleans Cooking", by Emeril Lagasse and Jessie Tirsch. Published by William and Morrow, 1993.

Chili con Queso:

• 1/2 pound fresh poblano or Anaheim chiles
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 cup chopped white onions
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 large tomato, peeled, seeded and diced
• 1 cup milk or cream
• 1 1/2 cups grated Cheddar
• 1 cup grated Pepper Jack

Roast the peppers by placing them on an open gas flame, turning them frequently with tongs until all sides are charred black, about 7 to 10 minutes. (Alternately, the peppers can be roasted under a broiler, or on top of a gas or charcoal grill.) Place the blackened peppers in a plastic or paper bag, and let rest until cool enough to handle, about 15 minutes. Peel the peppers, split in half lengthwise, and discard the seeds and the stems. Roughly chop and set aside.

In a large pot, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onions and cayenne cook, stirring, until very soft, about 6 minutes. Add the flour and stir until thickened, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes and chopped chilies, and cook for 1 minute. Slowly add the milk or cream and stir until thick, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the cheeses and cook, stirring, until melted and well incorporated.

Remove from the heat and adjust the seasoning, to taste. Serve immediately with chips, or swirled into the Chili con Carne.

Yield: 6 servings