Mansion on Turtle Creek Chili
For Week 2 of our Superbowl Chili Challenge, Danny brings us a complex, nutty recipe perfected by legendary chef Dean Fearing at the Mansion on Turtle Creek in Dallas. Chef Fearing writes about his adventures feeding the state’s wealthy and discerning in his 2014 memoir, The Texas Food Bible.
This recipe takes a bit more preparation, as it incorporates tortilla strips, crushed peanuts and roasted chilis to achieve a taste and texture that is multilayered and absolutely delicious.
“It’s a lot more work than the Chili Parlor recipe,” Danny said. “Toasting the dried chiles makes the house smell great – sweet, smoky and chocolatey. The flavors are rich, layered - it’s a more elegant dish if chili can be considered elegant.”
He substituted a teaspoon each of cayenne and smoked paprika for Aleppo pepper, and added some chipotle.
Texas adopted chili as its state dish in 1977 and Texas chili cook-offs are a cherished tradition that epitomize the Lone Star State’s love affair with spicy and flavorful cuisine.
So find your favorite recipe and let it warm you this winter season. This recipe makes six servings. All ingredients are available at Stewart’s Food Store.
INGREDIENTS CHILI BASE 10 dried ancho chiles, stemmed and seeded 2 dried pasilla chiles, stemmed and seeded 1 tbsp. vegetable oil 1 cup roughly chopped carrots 1 cup roughly diced onions 1/2 cup celery, trimmed and chopped 2 tbsp. peeled and smashed garlic 2 tbsp. roughly chopped shallot 2 tbsp. toasted cumin seeds 2 tbsp. toasted coriander seeds 1 bottle Shiner Bock beer 2 cups fresh orange juice Fried tortilla strips (recipe below) 1/4 cup toasted unsalted peanuts CHILI
1 tbsp. vegetable oil 1 3/4 pounds lean sirloin, finely diced Kosher salt, to taste Freshly ground pepper, to taste 1 cup small-dice onions 3 cups chili base Juice of 1 lime 1 tsp. Smoked paprika 1 tsp. Cayenne pepper 1 tsp. Tabasco sauce 1 tbsp. pureed chipotle chiles
FRIED TORTILLA STRIPS 4 cups vegetable oil 5 yellow corn tortillas, cut into short, thin strips Salt
PREPARATION
For the chili base: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
To make the base, place the dried chiles on a baking sheet in the preheated oven and toast for 1 minute, or just until slightly softened. Set aside.
Heat the oil in a medium sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the carrots, onions, celery, garlic, and shallot, and cook, stirring frequently, for about 5 minutes, or until the vegetables begin to color and caramelize.
Stir in the reserved chiles along with the cumin and coriander. When blended, add the beer and orange juice, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan, and bring to a simmer. Lower the heat and cook at a gentle simmer for 5 minutes. Raise the heat, add the tortilla strips and peanuts, and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and cook at a gentle simmer for about 10 minutes, or until the liquid has reduced by three-quarters.
Remove from the heat and pour into a blender. Process to a smooth puree. Strain the puree through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean container. Set aside.
For the chili: To make the chili, heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the meat, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring frequently, for 3 minutes, or until lightly browned.
Add the onions and cook, stirring frequently, for about 4 minutes, or until translucent. Add the reserved chili base and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 1 hour. Stir in the lime juice, Aleppo pepper, and Tabasco. Taste and, if necessary, season with additional salt and pepper. If you would like the chili to be hotter, add chipotle puree until you reach the desired degree of heat. Serve hot over a bowl of rice with saltines and Tabasco sauce, if desired. For the tortilla strips: Heat the oil in a medium frying pan until it registers 350 degrees on a candy thermometer. Add the tortilla strips and fry for about 2 minutes, or until lightly colored and crisp. Then, using a slotted spoon, transfer the tortilla strips to a double layer of paper towels to drain. Season with salt and use as directed.