Better-Than-Chasen's Chili
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This recipe is loosely a riff on the famous chili of Old Hollywood haunt Chasen’s. Every time I make it, I add a bit more of this and a tad more of that, especially dried ground chile varieties that are now available at many supermarkets.
Sure, you could simmer a pot of dried beans. You could use homemade chicken stock in place of boxed. And if you want to deseed, toast and grind chiles to add to this, have at it! But if what you’re looking for is a pot of warm, familiar comfort on the stove, making it easy on yourself seems like the right play.
Combine the chopped yellow onions, oil and 1 tablespoon of the salt in a large Dutch oven and cook until the onions are very soft, stirring often so they don’t brown, about 15 minutes.
Add the bell peppers and cook for about 5 minutes to soften them. Add the garlic and oregano and saute for about 1 minute to soften the garlic. Move the vegetables to one side of the pan.
Add the tomato paste to the bare space in the pan and cook it for about 2 minutes to caramelize it. Stir the tomato paste into the onions and move them to the side again. Add the chili powder(s) and cumin to the bare space in the pan and cook for about 1 minute. Fold the spices in with the onions.
Add the beef and pork, sprinkle with 1 teaspoon of the remaining salt and cook until the meat is cooked through, about 10 minutes, stirring so the meat cooks evenly, but leaving some of the meat in chunks if possible.
Stir in the tomatoes and pureed chipotle and cook for about 5 minutes. Add the chicken stock and simmer the chili for 1 hour, until the chili is thick.
Add the beans and simmer for 20 to 30 minutes to stain the beans with the colors and flavors of the chili. Turn off the heat and add more salt, chili powders or cumin to taste. Serve with garnishes.
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