Chili from Chile(brown)

Was his blogging name the inspiration for this chili, or was it his and Ms. Goofy's gift of tomatoes and chili peppers? Or perhaps his helpful suggestions regarding the judicious use of said peppers? Guess it doesn't matter. What matters is the killer chili made from the products of his garden.

I halved and roasted some of his tomatoes in a slow oven (200 degrees) for about 10 hours, sprinkling them first with a little olive oil and sea salt. They were reduced to the Essence of Tomato by the time they came out.

The next day, the tomatoes were easy to slip out of their skins. In a big pot, I thoroughly browned a pound of Marin Sun Farms ground beef in batches so it really browned instead of grayed, added two chopped onions and two minced garlic cloves, a 16 ounce can of tomato sauce, two similar-sized cans of chili beans and three of Chilebrown's jalapeno chilis, finely chopped, and coarsely chopped the roasted tomatoes before adding them. Cooked it all together for three hours on low. Let it stand for two more hours. Reheated before serving with avocado slices on top and corn tortillas broken up for crunch.

We had to restrain ourselves from having thirds.

The roasted tomatoes gave the chili such a rich, deep flavor and the jalapenos lent just enough heat for us heat wimps. It was rich, mellow and quietly spicy, easily the best chili I have ever made. And the best part is that it made enough for tomorrow's lunch, as well, and possibly another dinner.

Thanks, Chilebrown, for the food and the inspiration.