How do you like your Chili?

Texas chilli (no tomatoes, no beans) over hash browns with some chopped onion sprinkled on top. Saltines on the side.

But a Frito chilli pie with cheddar ain't bad.

 

I ate some Cincinatti Chilli at a friend's house recently. It sounds strange, but it really works. The key ingredient is cinammon. And it is always served with lots of cheese topping over spagetti. It will never replace a good Texas Cattleman's Chilli, but you can't eat the same thing all of the time, right?

Cincinnati Chili

Ingredients:

6 cups water
1-1.5 pounds lean ground beef
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ground cumin
1 large finely chopped onion
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
4 cloves garlic, pressed
2 Tbsp chili powder
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1 Tbsp salt
1.5 tsp ground allspice
6oz can tomato paste
1.5 Tbsp cider vinegar
3 large bay leaves
1/4 cup + 1 Tbsp total dry spices/salt
1 pound mild cheddar cheese, finely shredded
2 pounds thin spaghetti
Tabasco sauce

Method:

Put water and beef in a large pot.
Crumble beef in the water with your hands until there are no clumps.
Place pot over high heat and add tomato paste.
Add the rest of ingredients.
Cover and bring to a boil stirring frequently.
Uncover and reduce heat to a moderate boil.
Cook for 1-2 hours.
Gradually reduce heat to maintain a boil without making a mess of the kitchen.
Stir frequently.
When chili is slowly boiling and splattering significantly, reduce heat to make this bearable and cook for another 15 minutes.
Meanwhile cook (slightly overcooked is best) the spaghetti.
Serve chili over spaghetti and top with a heap of shredded mild cheddar cheese.
Add Tabasco to taste.

Serves 8 hungry people.