Cinfully good chili

1 servings

Ingredients

QuantityIngredient
teaspoonSalt
1poundsGround chuck
2Onions; finely chopped
2Cloves garlic; minced
1cupTomato sauce
2tablespoonsCatsup
1cupWater
1tablespoonRed-wine vinegar
1tablespoonChili powder
1tablespoonPaprika
1teaspoonBlack pepper
½teaspoonGround cumin
½teaspoonTumeric
½teaspoonMajoram
½teaspoonAllspice
¼teaspoonNutmeg
½teaspoonCinnamon
¼teaspoonGround cloves
¼teaspoonMace
¼teaspoonGround coriander
¼teaspoonGround cardamom
½Bayleaf
1teaspoonHoney
½ounceUnsweetened chocolate; grate
Tomato juice as needed
9ouncesThick spaghetti;cook; butter
16ouncesCanned kidney beans; heated
Drained
2Onions; chopped
¾poundsCheddar cheese; grated

Directions

1. Sprinkle ½ teaspoon salt in a large sillet. Heat to medium and add the meat, the first two chopped onions that appear first in the recipe,the garlic. Cook until Meat is browned but still soft.

2. Add tomato sauce, catsup, water and vinegar. When mixture boils, add the rest of the salt,the remaining spices and herbs, the honey and chocolate. Adjust seasonings, adding more salt if it needs perking up, more cumin for a more strident chili flavor, more cinnamon and mace if you want it more aromatic, more cardamom for more band and more chocolate for more body.

3. Cover and simmer on very low heat for about 1 hour, stirring and tasting occasionaly, adding tomato juice if it is getting too dry. It should be a thick sauce. Discard bay leaf.

4. For 5 way chili(use small oval plate if available), layer spaghetti on the plate, top it with chili, then with a sparse layer of kidney beans & then choped, raw onions. Pat on the cheese while the chili is still hot and serve immediately, with oyster crackers on the side.

You may, if desired, omit either the beans or onions, or both, for 3-way chili or 4-way chili. Serves 4