Make Sure You Use The Correct Recipe ;-)

[Mad Cook]

I live in a place which falls somewhere between being a very small town and a very large village. Today was our annual food and drink festival - all the restaurants and food shops and the local craft brewery had stands in the main street and the Womens' Institutute and various interest groups and charities were selling home made cakes, pickles and jams, home grown fruit and veg, etc.

I was at the local Spanish restaurant's stand where, among other goodies, they were making and selling paella

I was very much amused when a woman in her 60s, so about my age, started berating the (Spanish) chef about the paella not being a "real" one. The basis of her argument was that she had eaten paella once in Spain when she was 15 years old and it wasn't like this.

I was sorely tempted to tell her that I'd spent several years in Spain when I was younger and had been taught to make paella by a Spaniard but none of the many paellas I've eaten, including my own, has ever been the same as the previous one I ate. I've had them with all shellfish or shellfish and rabbit or chicken or hake or all of them or no shellfish at all and once a vegetarian paella (which was delicious). I even went to a beach party when host was going to cook the paella on a portable stove and, spotting a plastic carrier bag on a chair, I opened it and discovered a live wild duck looking enquiringly up at me. And yes, the poor thing was destined for the paella! Fortunately good manners topped revulsion and I ate my share of the poor thing. (I'm not averse to eating dead animals, I just don't like to be introduced to them while they are still alive.)

[Hoot]

Some folks just ain't got proper manners. I reckon it's like that all over the world. I agree about meeting dinner eyeball to eyeball, even though I used to hunt and been known to bring supper home a few times.

[FrankZ]

Some people think they are the only ones that have made/had a dish properly. Some people can't believe anything can occur outside of their sphere of perception.

Some people put beans in chili too.


And I don't mind meeting dinner and getting introduced. I have been known to name it first.

[Andy M.]

Originally Posted by FrankZ

...Some people put beans in chili too. ...

Right! Hey wait, what?

[Andy M.]

Frank, here is a link to a very interesting discussion on the history of chili in Texas. It's a series of posts in a thread between members Audeo and Lifter.

http://www.discusscooking.com/forums...hili-3649.html

There is some evidence that beans were, in fact, an integral part of chili near the end of the discussion.

[FrankZ]

Originally Posted by Andy M.

Frank, here is a link to a very interesting discussion on the history of chili in Texas. It's a series of posts in a thread between members Audeo and Lifter.

http://www.discusscooking.com/forums...hili-3649.html

There is some evidence that beans were, in fact, an integral part of chili near the end of the discussion.

Like Texans are an authority on chili...

[Andy M.]

Originally Posted by FrankZ

Like Texans are an authority on chili...

Go figure.

[acerbicacid]

I've often wondered what makes one recipe "authentic" over others. Who decides. I know my Mother was sure her recipes were

[PrincessFiona60]

Originally Posted by FrankZ

Like Texans are an authority on chili...

Those Texicans are sure full of themselves!!!

[Andy M.]

Originally Posted by acerbicacid

I've often wondered what makes one recipe "authentic" over others. Who decides. I know my Mother was sure her recipes were

The occasions are rare where you can identify a single recipe as the authentic source.

For the most part, I think it's more of a general framework that is authentic with room for limited variations by different kitchens.

[forty_caliber]

Originally Posted by PrincessFiona60

Those Texicans are sure full of themselves!!!

Hold on there little lady....you put beans in your chili if you want to. Just don't call it TEXAS RED. It's the national food of Texas....y'all.

STATE OF TEXAS

Texas Red Chili

The official food of The State of Texas is chili. A sure fire method to start an argument in Texas is to talk about chili. This recipe is quite simply known as Texas Red. In a rare meeting of both houses, The Texas State Legislature has unanimously decreed that: "Texas Red shall be composed of only meat and sauce. There are no beans, no rice, no noodles, nor any other fillers in this dish. This meat will be beef. No pork, chicken, rabbit or any other non beef ingredient shall now, or ever be used in Texas Red. This chili will be hot and spicy. Hot enough to make a seasoned cowhand sweat in February or small children cry at the very mention of the dish"

INGREDIENTS

2 pounds ground beef or chili grind chuck, sub 1/4" cubes of chuck if desired
1 14.5 can diced tomatoes
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 cups chicken stock or water
1/4 cup red chili powder
2 tablespoons garlic powder
1 medium onion, chopped fine
1 1/2 teaspoons oregano
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1 1/2 tablespoons cumin, ground
1 teaspoon cayenne, rounded (to taste)
2 tablespoons flour
2 tablespoons vegetable oil or bacon grease.
Salt and pepper to taste.

INSTRUCTIONS

Heat oil or bacon grease in a enameled cast iron dutch oven over medium heat. Crumble in meat, break up any lumps with a wooden spoon and cook, stirring occasionally until meat is well browned. Drain off all fat and return meat to pot.
Add flour and stir to coat beef continue to cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Add remaining dry ingredients and stir into mixture. Add liquids and simmer on low heat covered for at least 1 hour, stirring occasionally to prevent burning. Increase heat to medium and uncover and continue to simmer an additional hour. Add additional liquids as needed achieve desired consistency. Taste for seasoning and adjust if necessary.
Serve with cheddar or jack cheese.

[forty_caliber]

PS.

We really aren't supposed to just give the recipe for Texas Red out to just anybody. But seeing as how some of you weren't fortunate enough to be born a Native Texan and in the interest furthering international relations with the lesser 49 I'll let it slide this once.

.40

[PrincessFiona60]

Originally Posted by forty_caliber

PS.

We really aren't supposed to just give the recipe for Texas Red out to just anybody. But seeing as how some of you weren't fortunate enough to be born a Native Texan and in the interest furthering international relations with the lesser 49 I'll let it slide this once.

.40

Yeah, it took a wiley Montanan to get the recipe out of ya.

[taxlady]

Originally Posted by Andy M.

The occasions are rare where you can identify a single recipe as the authentic source.

For the most part, I think it's more of a general framework that is authentic with room for limited variations by different kitchens.

Agreed.

[FrankZ]

Originally Posted by PrincessFiona60

Yeah, it took a wiley Montanan to get the recipe out of ya.

The recipe is a good start. Then you can do things to make it just right, like add tofu.

[PrincessFiona60]

Originally Posted by FrankZ

The recipe is a good start. Then you can do things to make it just right, like add tofu.

Or Beans...

[GotGarlic]

Originally Posted by Andy M.

The occasions are rare where you can identify a single recipe as the authentic source.

For the most part, I think it's more of a general framework that is authentic with room for limited variations by different kitchens.

Someone recently posted on Facebook a recipe for White Chicken Enchiladas that included a roux-based cheese sauce and canned green chiles. I said it didn't seem authentic to me. I leave plenty of room for variations using indigenous ingredients, but techniques from another culture and use of modern convenience foods say inauthentic to me.

[taxlady]

Originally Posted by forty_caliber

Hold on there little lady....you put beans in your chili if you want to. Just don't call it TEXAS RED. It's the national food of Texas....y'all.

STATE OF TEXAS

Texas Red Chili...

I have copied and pasted that recipe. It sounds yummy. I particularly like that there are no beans (and no tofu).

[lyndalou]

Originally Posted by PrincessFiona60

Or Beans...

Lol, Princess. I was thinking the same thing.

[PrincessFiona60]

.40 is fun to tease...