Chili was the first dish I ever loved enough to create on my own. My mom didn’t make it very often, but they served it at school with those crazy good cinnamon rolls and it was my absolute favorite meal from the cafeteria. When I was 13 or 14, I decided it was something I could surely figure out. My dad helped me with the shopping and I set to work figuring the ingredients and quantities. When I think back on it, it makes me smile. He was my guinea pig and ate it like a champ. It must have tasted good enough to inspire me to keep trying. It’s still a quest.
Yesterday I made a big batch of my favorite “Texas” chili. At the last minute, I remembered reading about cumin polenta somewhere, but where?? I tore through several cookbooks and my database before deciding it was in a magazine somewhere – lost for all eternity. So I faked it – and it was fabulous! I have a feeling this will be the requested side from here on out. It was such a great combo!
My chili varies, but here’s what I used for this delicious batch.
Beef Chili
1 lb. ground beef (I used organic, grass-fed)
1 medium onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 can diced tomatoes
1 can pinto beans
1 can refried beans
2 cans of water
4 Tbsp chile powder
2 or 3 tsp cumin
1 tsp oregano
2 tsp chipolte chile flakes (this made it pretty spicy – cut it back if you want or use smoked paprika)
salt & pepper at the end to taste.
Garnish as desired. Some of my favorites: cilantro, raw onion, cheddar cheese, olives, avocado, black olives, sour cream, chopped hot pepper, bacon bits, fresh tomato, etc. etc.
To prepare, simply saute the meat, onion & garlic. Add the canned ingredients and seasonings – bring to a boil then simmer for 2-3 hours. I use a cover and remove it near the end to thicken up the chili if necessary. Also, sample the seasoning after it’s been simmering for at least on hour and tweak if necessary.
When the chili was almost ready, I chopped up some garnishes then started the polenta.
Polenta:
1 quart chicken stock
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 cup yellow cornmeal (I used the coarser grind)
1 tablespoon butter
1/2 cup whole milk
Combine the stock and the cumin in a large saucepan on medium-high heat. When it boils, reduce the heat to low; very gradually whisk in the cornmeal. Cook, stirring constantly, until it starts to thicken. This took around 5 minutes. Stir in butter and milk. Salt to taste.
To serve, spoon a generous amount of polenta in the bottom of a flat bowl, using the spoon to make an indentation in the center. Ladle chili over the top and garnish as desired. Call the troops and wait for the nods of approval. This is sooo good! Try it with your favorite chili recipe.
Part Three 
sounds like the perfect lunch mmmmmmmm
You know where we live – come on over, anytime!
Ah yes. Chili weather has arrived! Two months ago I didn’t think it would ever be cool enough to eat ever again.
Nothing screams fall like a big bowl of chili, does it? 🙂
Yum. It is chili time of year. Now I have to try polenta.
I have lot’s of chipoltes I made from my garden this year. 3 days in the smoker but boy was it worth it. What flavor they have when homemade. They make great gifts because I can mail them anywhere. Along with my chili peppers and my cayenne peppers. I think my first real thing I learned to cook was fried potatoes and venison loin steaks. Still eating them to this day and not made much different. Olive oil instead of butter. (sometimes)
See any snow in the Big Sky yet?
Wow – home smoked chipoltes? I’m jealous – how does one get on your Christmas list . . . or better yet, would you like to barter for a jar of my spicy hot green tomato chow chow? (it’s prize winning 🙂 )
I miss cooking with venison, it’s one of my favorite kinds of chili meat. I add a little diced bacon and it’s fabulous. We got snow in the nearby mountains, but it’s only down to 4500 feet. It can happen any day, but usually doesn’t really start flying until after Thanksgiving.
My dad was the same way as ginea pig with my baked beans at about that age. Too cute. I like the addition of refried beans in your chili. Sounds like a great recipe. A bowl of chili is just about the best thing during the cold months. Now how about this polenta! Sounds wonderful and I will be giving it a try. In the photo it looks like you’ve poured a small amount of chili on a big bowl of polenta? I can’t wait until you find that recipe, I’ll be interested to see if you nailed it with the ingredients and proceedure. Great photo!
Thanks! While I did use a generous ladle of the polenta, it’s not as much as it seems. When you hollow out a well in the middle for the chili, the polenta is pressed up the sides. But who am I to tell you how to arrange your food? 😀
Both dishes sound delicious and I especially like them together. I just checked and had 13 recipes for chili and yours makes 14 and when I find the one Jamie Deen made on the Today Show this am, using pulled pork, I’ll have another. I think they’ll all go well over the polenta – kind like tamales in a bowl.
Thanks, Larry. It is like a spoonable tamale. (that would have been an interesting name for it)
This is my plain old fashioned chili – which my husband loves. But I’m always interested in new chili recipes. I think you should do a weekly chili review – how fun would that be?
your polenta sounds dreamy too.
your comment made me smile big! Thank you.
Thank you for stopping by, Damaris. I’m flattered!
Wow, Vickie, this looks and sounds awesome. I love chili. I love grits (close enough) and cumin is one of my favorite spices. I already bookmarked this to try and soon, given this weather.
I can’t believe I’d never tried it before – it’s pretty darned good. Let me know what you think!
Oh, I bet this was just wonderful over the polenta! Now, why haven’t I thought of doing this before?? LOL Cumin is one of my favorite spices.
I know, right? I love chili, polenta, tamales, cumin . . . it’s all so logical. It’s a good combo, Karen. Thanks for stopping by!