Steve Normanton Grass-Fed Beef

Winter means working my way through half a side of beef in the freezer, so I’m always on the lookout for new ways to prepare ground beef. I tried this “Chili with Moroccan Spices” from a Cook’s Illustrated cookbook this weekend, and I entered it into my church’s annual chili cook-off. I didn’t win, but I suspect the voting was rigged—the Moroccan chili was divine. Actually, it tasted even better the next day left over. Maybe next year I’ll prepare it a day ahead and re-warm it!

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon ground cumin

2 teaspoons ground coriander

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

4 teaspoons sweet paprika

1 tablespoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 medium onions, minced

1 red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and cut into 1/2-inch pieces

6 medium garlic cloves, minced or pressed

2 pounds ground beef

2 (15-ounce) cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed

1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes (with liquid)

1 (28-ounce) can tomato puree

1 cup raisins

1 teaspoon grated lemon zest

1 tablespoon lemon juice

Method:

Mix the spices (first 8 ingredients) together in a small bowl and set aside. Using a large Dutch oven over medium heat, sautee the onions and bell pepper in the vegetable oil for 8 minutes. Add the garlic for 30 seconds, then add the spices for another minute (careful not to burn the spices). Increase the heat to medium-high, add the beef, and cook for 5 minutes while breaking up the beef as much as possible. Add the the diced tomatoes with their juice, the drained chickpeas, the raisins, and the tomato puree. Bring it to a simmer, cover, and simmer for 1 hour (stirring occasionally). Then simmer for another 45 minutes uncovered to thicken the sauce a bit. (Note: if the chili is ever sticking to the bottom of the pot, add a little water.) Remove from heat and add the lemon zest and lemon juice. Awesome!