Normally, chili is made with beef (chopped, ground, chunky) but this is made with ground pork. Give it a try and if you find that, although you like hot and spicy foods, it gets too much, try a spoonful of sugar or a bit of salt and lime juice for fast relief. Besides, the heat of chilies only lasts 6 minutes. True!
This is a great meal for hockey watching nights or just for a comfy family time meal.
- 1 1/2 lbs. ground pork
- 1 large white onion, chopped
- 1 large red bell pepper, seeds removed
- 1 large green pepper, chopped, seeds removed
- 4-5 large white mushrooms, ends trimmed, and sliced
- 1 cup celery, sliced in 1/2 inch pieces
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 cans diced tomatoes, undrained
- 1 can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 small can tomato paste
- 1/4 cup water
- 1/2 cup Chardonnay wine
- 3 tsp. brown sugar
- 1 tsp. dried oregano
- 1 tsp. Worchestershire sauce
- 2 tsp. chili powder
- 1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
- 1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
- 4-6 drops of hot pepper sauce
Start this earlier in the day and in a large skillet, brown the pork and onions, until pork is no longer pink.
Add the peppers, celery and cook for about 5 minutes until peppers are tender. Add the garlic and mushrooms and cook for another minute.
Add the remaining ingredients, reduce the temperature to a simmer and cook for an hour on a medium heat, stirring often. Turn off the heat. Set aside.
Take a taste test and adjust the ‘heat’ if you wish. As it rests, it will thicken up. If you want a thinner consistency, just add a small amount of water.
Before dinner, reheat the chili and spoon over a bowl of steamed white rice or broad noodles if you prefer. Add a bowl of sour cream and grated cheddar cheese to be used as a garnish.
