Hygge Chili

It’s raining here in San Diego, finally! Which means the soothing sound of rain on the roof and chili and corn bread for dinner. This recipe is one my husband concocted and it it is perfection. I mean who can complain about chili with chocolate in it? Am I right? I call this Hygge Chili (pronounced hoo-ga) because it is the perfect cosy dinner on a cold wet night. Also, it is a fun meal to make together.

Hygge Chili

 2 pounds boneless beef chuck, trimmed and cut into 1/2-inch cubes (This is the most labor intensive part, but so worth it.)

1 tablespoon kosher salt

2 tablespoons vegetable oil ( I prefer olive oil)

2 tablespoons chili powder

1 tablespoon cumin

1/4 teaspoon cayenne (This has some zip, if your crowd doesn’t like spicy you may want to skip the cayenne,)

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon oregano

2 bay leaves

1 teaspoon brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 large onion, coarsely chopped

1 large bell pepper

3 cloves garlic, roughly chopped

1 can finely chopped tomatoes

2 cans fire-roasted diced tomatoes

1/2 ounce semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped plus extra for snitching.

1 tablespoon masa harina (This is corn flour, not corn starch. If you don’t have masa harina you could substitute it with corn meal or regular flour. Or skip it. It will still be delicious.)

2 cans kidney beans

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves

First, saute’ the meat and salt in the oil at medium high heat in batches (about three) until it’s crisp in some places. (If you are in a rush, this step can be skipped. You could just lump all the meat in at once. But is ever so much better, if you let the meat get crisp.)

Next, add onions and spices. Saute’ until the onions soften. Then add the tomatoes, garlic and bell peppers. Also, add the chocolate and masa harina.

Simmer for 20-30 minutes before adding the drained kidney beans. Cook until the beans are warm. At the last minute mix in the cilantro and parsley.

Serve with any of the following: shredded cheese, chopped green onions, sour cream, Fritos, Saltines, pickled jalapeños. Yum!

Serves 4 to six.