Comforting, Spicy Chili

After a particularly stressful couple of days, I knew I needed some comfort food. There are very few dishes I find as warm as chili, so I headed to the store to get all the fixins’. Grass-fed beef. Tortilla chips. Extra-sharp cheddar. The works.

This chili will make your bad days seem better and your taste buds salute. Try it!

Spicy, Comforting Chili

Serves 6-8

What you Need:

• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 large yellow onion, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 pounds grass-fed ground beef
• 1 1/2 tablespoons ground red chiles
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon chile powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon red pepper flakes
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 bottle dark beer (recommended: Negra Modelo)
• 2 cans low-sodium diced tomatoes, with their juices
• 1 can low-sodium black beans, slightly drained
• 1 can low-sodium kidney beans, slightly drained
• 2 jalapenos, seeds in, diced

What You Do:

1.  In a large dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add onion and saute until soft, about 3 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about one minute. Add beef and break apart with a wooden spoon, cooking until browned, about 5 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, in a small bowl combine the next 6 ingredients (ground red chiles through black pepper), use a fork to combine. Add spice mixture to ground beef. Stir until combined.

3.  Deglaze the pan with the beer— what you do with the rest is up to you! Add tomatoes, beans and jalapenos. Stir to combine. Cover and reduce heat to medium. Cook for 30 minutes.

4. Get your toppings ready: I prefer extra-sharp New York cheddar cheese, crushed tortilla chips, finely diced red onion and sliced jalapenos. Scoop chili into a large bowl and top with your fixins. Feel your heart warm with joy with each bite. Serve with a cold beer.

{Recipe by Kate Parham}