The late, great Chasen’s Restaurant near Beverly Hills was famed for its chili. When Elizabeth Taylor was filming Cleopatra in Rome she paid $100 (then a considerable sum) just to have their chili shipped to her. For years the recipe remained a closely guarded secret, until Chasen’s closed. Here it is:
• 1/2 pound dried pinto beans
• Water
• 1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes in juice
• 1 large green bell pepper, chopped
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 3 cups onions, coarsely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1/2 cup parsley, chopped
• 1/2 cup butter
• 2 pounds beef chuck, coarsely chopped
• 1 pound pork shoulder, coarsely chopped
• 1/3 cup Gebhardt’s brand chili powder
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons black pepper
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
• Honey or sugar to taste after prep
Rinse the beans, picking out the debris. Place beans in a Dutch oven with water to cover. Boil 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Cover and let stand one hour. Drain liquid. Rinse beans again. Add enough fresh water to cover beans. Bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered for one hour or until tender.
Stir in tomatoes and their juice. Simmer 5 minutes. In a large skillet sauté bell pepper in oil for 5 minutes. Add onion and cook until tender, stirring frequently. Stir in the garlic and parsley. Add mixture to bean mixture. Using the same skillet melt the butter and sauté beef and pork chuck until browned. Drain. Add to bean mixture along with the chili powder, salt, pepper, and cumin.
Bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat. Simmer, covered for one hour. Uncover and cook 30 minutes more or to desired consistency. Chili shouldn’t be too thick—it should be somewhat liquid but not runny like soup. Skim off excess fat and serve.
I’ve prepared and served this recipe at three dinner parties. My only problem has been how to fairly divide the leftovers among my departing guests, so as to prevent squabbles at the end of the day.
“Skim off excess fat”
What are you, a Yankee?
Smiley face emoticon goes here.