The Recipe: Lamb and Chorizo Chili

I think we’re all pretty clear by now that I’m a food guy. I don’t know how I came to be a food guy, all I know is that it has been this way all my life. I can remember way back to my early Boy Scout days when at the ripe old age of eleven I generated the great “there’s wine in that stew!” uproar.

At the time it seemed like such an innocent compliment. You see when we went on campouts one scout was responsible for bringing the food, and this responsibility rotated to a different member with each new campout. At one such event my buddy Jim had the honor, and to make things a little easier on us Scouts, Jim’s mom pre-made a stew for us that we only had to heat over the campfire. After a long day of Scout activity such as hiking (the practice of hiking from nowhere to nowhere) this gesture was much appreciated.

Sampling Jim’s Mom’s stew, I was immediately taken; it was good stuff! “Jim!” I said. “This stew is great! Your mom put wine in it and everything”! Now I don’t know why Jim found this objectionable, since this was an obvious compliment to his dear old mom’s technique, but tragically he viewed it as more of an accusation and an argument ensued.

What Jim didn’t know you see, is that I had become familiar with the rudiments of cooking at a fairly young age. My mom, who like most mom’s that were at home in the early seventies, made sure dinner was on the table every night. Because this goal sometimes conflicted with her need to pick up my dad at the train, she used to leave me with instructions every night at 5:40 for finishing off dinner while she went off to fetch dad. In other words, I had learned a thing or two and knew what I was talking about. Later, Jim’s mom expressed some degree of amazement that young Pursuit had indeed detected the addition of what was no doubt, the very best stuff Carlo and Rossi had ever put in a jug.

So, I’m a food guy.

This weekend to celebrate what turned at to be the Bear’s elusive victory I prepared a Lamb and Chorizo Chili. Happily, my creativity was a bit more advanced than that of the Bear’s coaching staff and I met with tremendous success. Oh, my friends what good stuff this turned out to be.

One of PD2’s fave meals is my more traditional chili, but for kicks I wanted to see if I could come up with something a little different, but equally satisfying. PD2 says my original is still the king, but this is not bad. Personally, I liked the Lamb and Chorizo version a lot…..but fair warning; you need to be a chorizo fan to enjoy this.

Oh, I also made the World’s Greatest Cornbread, which is a recipe given to me by my friend Joe. I’d love to pass it on, but I’m not sure he’d think that was a good idea….because this is the very best cornbread recipe in the world. Indians weep with joy when they taste it. Pilgrims want to start a new holiday. No joke. People eat it and then flop to the floor vibrating with glee. To bad it remains a secret eh? Oh well, here’s the chili:

Pursuit’s Lamb & Chorizo Chili

Ingredients

2oz dried ancho chilies

2.0 Cups of low salt chicken broth

.5 Cups of low salt beef broth

2 pounds of Chorizo, removed from casings

2 Cups (approx 1 big) Yellow Onion Chopped

2 teaspoons of Garlic Powder (a sin, I know, but I forgot to buy garlic and didn’t realize this until the cooking process was under way, so I through this stuff in and eureka! nobody could tell so be quiet about it and keep this to ourselves)

1 Tablespoon of dried Oregano

3 pounds of lamb chunked stew meat

1 15oz can of chopped tomatoes

2 15 oz cans of white hominy Drained.

Ok, to start take the anchos remove stems and put them in a pot of warm chicken and beef broth and hydrate for about 20 minutes. You may want to simmer (the broth, not your temper) on the stove. Remove from heat and puree in a blender.

Next remove the chorizo from the casings and brown over medium heat for 10 minutes. Remove from pot, and make a judgment call to pour off some grease, but not too much. Put some grease back in the pot and brown the onions until translucent. Add garlic powder and oregano and sauté for 2 more minutes. Add Lamb and brown until outside is just cooked, then add chorizo back in.

Stir.

Add blended broth and chilies. Stir.

Add Tomatoes. Stir

Cook over low heat for at least an hour and up to 3 hours. If it gets too dry, and some broth, beef or chicken it doesn’t matter. One half hour before serving drain Hominy, add, and stir in. Continue to cook

Serve in bowls with some sour cream, grated cheddar cheese, and perhaps some chopped onion and cilantro.

Wine? Something Spanish and bold.

Thank me later.

UPDATE: CUMIN! I FORGOT THE CUMIN! 1 TO 1.5 TEASPOONS ADDED AT THE SAME TIME YOU PUT IN THE OREGANO