Billie's Chili

LONNA RAE CAPELLE
MID 1940'S

This is the chili that I grew-up with. It is a little different than what most people are used to, but my mother is from the mid-west and this is how they do it there! I have made this chili for many people over the years, and I must say there has been a myriad of strange reactions to this unusually soupy concoction.  Make no mistake about it… they, in the end are all won over. Believe me your friends and family will be begging you to make that “spaghetti-soup” stuff!

7 SOUPS IN 7 DAYS: VOLUME 4 #7

AVOCADO SOUP

Puree 2 ripe avocados with 1 clove of garlic

Add 2 cups of buttermilk

4 teaspoons of fresh squeezed lime juice

salt and pepper

Whiz in food processor until smooth and creamy.

Chill and serve cold.

Garnish tips: top with a fresh salsa enhanced with chilies and fresh lime juice. Or you can do what I do: lump crabmeat, or shrimp, or bacon and diced tomatoes or sour cream or.....

7 SOUPS IN 7 DAYS: VOLUME 4 #6

RASPBERRY PUREE

Boil:

1/2 cup tapioca

6 cups water.

1/2 cup currant juice.

Cook until tapioca is transparent

Add:

2 cups fresh raspberries

sugar to taste

Puree and serve cold.

7 SOUPS IN 7 DAYS: VOLUME 4 #5

STRAWBERRY SOUP

Puree 2 1/4 cups fresh strawberries with 1/3 cup sugar

Add 1/2 cup sour cream

1/2 cup whipping cream

Blend well.

Add 3/4 cup light red wine

I love "Sophia Rose" (a white Pinot Noir from Francis Coppola)

1 cup steam distilled or quality purified water

Chill and serve cold.

Michael suggested serving this refreshing soup in a hollowed-out ruby red grapefruit.

Wouldn't that be fit for any bee

7 SOUPS IN 7 DAYS: VOLUME 4 #4

GINGER MELON SOUP

Puree 2 medium ripe cantaloupes.

Place in large bowl.

Add

1 cup fresh orange juice

1/4 cup fresh squeezed lime juice

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Chill until cold, (at least 2 hours)

Mince or grate 1/2 cup of fresh peeled ginger

Using cheesecloth squeeze-out 1-2 tablespoons of liquid.

Add to soup and garnish with sliced kiwi and strawberries.

Serve in chilled compotes.

7 SOUPS IN 7 DAYS: VOLUME 4 #3

CHERRY SOUP

2 pounds fresh stemmed & pitted cherries

or

4 cups frozen or canned (drained)

2 cups Gewurztraminer or Riesling

Reserve 1/2 of the cherries.

Add Cherries, wine and 2 cups of water in a large sauce pan.

Cook until cherries are soft (about 15 minutes).

Puree until smooth.

In small bowl mix 1/4 cup sugar and 1/4 teaspoon cornstarch. Mix well.

Add 3 Tablespoons of the puree to incorporate the dry mixture

Mix well and cook with remainder of pureed mixture until thick. Whisk constantly.

Cook about five minutes. Reduce heat.

Add reserved cherries

1 teaspoon fresh orange juice

1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

Simmer until warmed through. If too sweet: add more lemon juice. If not sweet enough: add more sugar. Chill and serve cold with a dollop of sour cream as a garnish with a sprig of mint.

7 SOUPS IN 7 DAYS: VOLUME 4 #2

COLD CUCUMBER

Peel and seed 2 large cucumbers

Process with 1/4 cup buttermilk until smooth

Add to bowl and wisk in:

1/2 cup sour cream

2 teaspoons white balsamic vinegar

1 1/2 teaspoon olive oil

1 teaspoon sugar 1/2 teaspoon dill

Chill ansd serve cold.

7 SOUPS IN 7 DAYS: VOLUME 4 #1

FRUIT SOUP

Combine 3/4 cups water

4 Tablespoons quick tapioca

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon in a large saucepan until thick (10 minutes)

Remove fromm heat and stir in 1 can thawed frozen-consentrated orange juice.

Add 2 cups diced peaches

1 can diced pears in juice

1 (8 oz.) can crushed pineapple

16 ounces of sliced strawberries

Chill and serve cold.

7 soups in 7 days: Volume 3 #7

SCOTCH BROTH

Cut 1 1/2 pounds of lamb shoulder (fat trimmed) into 1/2 " cubes

Add to 6 cups of water and simmer 10 minutes.

Skim off scum.

Add:

1/2 cup barley

3 medium leeks (white part only)

1-2 diced carrot

2 ribs of celery

salt and pepper to taste

Simmer aprox. 1 1/2 hours until meat is tender. Add water as necessary.

Add 1/2 cup chopped parsley before serving.

7 soups in 7 days: Volume 3 #6

ALBONDIGAS

This is a standard soup or "caldo" in just about every Mexican household. It is simple and humble made with easy to get ingredients: meat balls and root vegetables. Like most of the soup recipes that I publish... this one is quick and easy. Serve this Mexican classic in large over sized bowls, (that is how it is served in every Mexican restaurant.) Serve with a plate of chopped onion, cilantro, oregano, and chili flakes to use as optional garnishes.

Meatball mixture:

2 pounds ground chuck or sirloin

1 cup bread crumbs

1 minced onion

2 eggs 2 teaspoons cumin

2-4 minced cloves of garlic

salt & pepper

Mix well and use a small ice cream scoop to make uniformly shaped meatballs. Here is where you'll have a decision to make. You can 1.) cook the meatballs in a skillet with a little olive oil browning them on all sides. 2.) bake them off in the oven. 3.) drop uncooked meat balls directly into the simmering broth. With the exception of the latter, cook the meatballs and drain off any fat.

Stock and vegetables:

In 2 quarts of stock simmer

8 small peeled and quartered red potatoes

3 large coin or bias cut carrots

1 head of cabbage cut into large rustic pieces

1 onion

If you choose to drop raw meatballs into the simmering broth add them to the broth before adding the cabbage. If you choose this method add cabbage at the last 15 minutes of cooking. Depending on the size of the meat balls they should cook in the same amount of time as the vegetables. If you choose to cook-off your meatballs first add to the broth when the vegetables are almost tender. Cook meatballs in broth long enough to heat them through.

7 soups in 7 days: Volume 3 #5

GAZPACHO

Pulse each ingredient individually in a food processor then set aside into a large bowl. The Idea is to not puree the ingredients but to get them to a broken down stage (roughly coarse chopped.) I like my gazpacho a little rustic in its presentation opposed to all of the components being too uniformly chopped or diced.

1 large seedless cucumber and set aside in a large bowl
1 each: green, yellow and red bell pepper
1 large purple onion
1/3 cup packed parsley
2 ½ pounds of peeled and seeded tomatoes
Mix well.
Add 1-2 cups tomato juice
3 Tablespoons of red wine vinegar
3 Tablespoons Extra virgin olive oil (use the best stuff you have!)
2 cloves of finely minced garlic
1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and minced
Salt and white pepper to taste

Note: reserve a little bit of each vegetable to fine dice to use as a garnish or garnish with halved yellow pear tomatoes and fresh chopped parsley. Substitute hot or spicy tomato juice or use clamato juice in any combination for tomato juice. Or you can add a touch of carrot juice or any other vegetable juice, (get as creative as you want!)

7 soups in 7 days: Volume 3 #4

BEER & CHEESE

Saute 1 cup each of onion and celery with 3/4 cup of diced carrots in 6 tablespoons of ghee until soft. Do not brown. Add 1/4 cup flour and cook 3-4 minutes. Wish in 2 1/2 cups stock and 2 bottles of brown ale. I like to use Newcastle Brown Ale. Bring to a boil and cook until thick. Aprox. 45 minutes. Puree this mixture, put back into stock pot and add 1 cup heavy cream, 2 cups cheddar cheese, and 1 teaspoon dry mustard on low heat until cheese is melted. DO NOT BOIL! Cheese will separate if too hot. Add a couple of dashes of hot sauce and Worcestershire sauce. Salt and pepper to taste. Garnish options; Bacon, Broccoli, popcorn....

7 soups in 7 days: Volume 3 #3

ONION SOUP GRATINEE

4 large onion (use a variety of colored onions)

4 large leeks (white parts only)

4 large cloves of garlic

1/2 cup ghee

2 Tbsp. flour

1 quart chicken stock (adding tarragon and thyme is great here!)

8 slices of french bread

1/2 Gruyere or Swiss Cheese

Parmesan cheese

Cut tops and bottoms off of the onions and cut them in half. Thinly slice onions in half moons. and cook until tender. Do not brown. Add flour and blend well. Add stock stirring constantly. Adjust seasoning at this time. Toast bread and butter with ghee and top with cheese. Place under a broiler until cheese is melted. Float toast on top of soup. Top with any remaining cheese.

7 soups in 7 days: Volume 3 #2

BOUILLABAISSE

2 large onions

4 cloves of garlic

1 medium to large fennel bulb

3 large leeks (white parts only)

2 tbsp. flour

2 Tbsp. ghee

2 cups crushed tomatoes

2 cups water or seafood stock

8 whole cloves

1 good pinch of saffron

3 bay leaves

1 1/2 teaspoon curry powder

1/2 cup sherry

hot sauce

3 pounds fish fillets*

12 clams

10-12 (or more if using smaller scallops) large scallops

1 1/2 quarts of boiling water

1/2 pound mushrooms

hot buttered toast (use a hearty bread like French or Italian with ghee)

Saute onion, garlic, fennel, leek and flour in ghee until soft. Add tomatoes, 4 cloves, bay leaves, curry powder, 1/4 cup sherry and a couple of healthy splashes of hot sauce. Simmer 1/2 hour. Add salt and pepper to taste. Add fish, remaining cloves and sherry to the boiling water. After 10-15 minutes add the mushrooms, scallops and clams. simmer 5-7 minutes until scallops are opaque and the clams shells are opened, (discard any unopened clam shells.) Place hot buttered toast on a large shallow platter and top with fish, clams, and scallops. Spoon sauce and vegetables over the entire platter and serve piping hot. Garnish with fresh parsley. Serves 10-12

* I like to use a combination of monk fish and red snapper. You can use halibut. Avoid using fish with soft textures like cod because they have a tendency to flake apart too much.

7 soups in 7 days: Volume 3 #1

BORSCHT

Heat 1 tablespoon of ghee in a large soup pot. cook 2 cups of chopped beets, 1/2 cups carrots and 1 cup of chopped onion until soft (8-10 minutes.) Add 2 cups of a rich stock 1 cup shredded cabbage, 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar, simmer for 30 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with a dollop of sour cream. Option: you can dredge small cubes of lean meat, (like sirloin,) in flour and brown in olive oil and add to soup when you add the stock. Cook until meat is tender.

7 Soups in 7 Days: Volume 2 #7

Chicken Chick Pea Curry

After reading Cherrie's "KIRTAN" piece I decided to make myself something "India" inspired for dinner this past Friday night. I had originally had another soup scheduled for today but, this turned out pretty good so I thought I would share it with you. As most of you know, I try to make most of my foods from scratch, but sometimes even I just can't do it! I do keep bouillon cubes in the spice cupboard... I do use canned beans of every type... [and suggest that you do too!]

Any how, I found myself wanting something a little different for dinner, something kinda light... I had had a double sausage sandwich from Gloriosa's for lunch but I knew that that would not hold me through the night. I went into my cupboard after putting 4 cups of water on to boil in a large sauce pan and threw in the recommended amount of bouillon cubes. I added 2 cloves of minced garlic, a handful of rice, 1 heaping tablespoon of dehydrated onion, 1 mediun sized potato diced, 1 can of garbanzo beans and 1 healthy teaspoon full of sweet yellow curry, a couple of bay leaves and, I tossed in a large handful of cauliflower florets. I simmered everything until the potato and rice were cooked through - about 15-20 minutes. I had a small portion of a cooked chicked breast so I cubed it up and threw that in too.

I wanted it to be a little thicker almost like a stew so, I passed a potato masher through the whole thing a few times to break up some of the garbanzo beans, potato and to break-up some of the cauliflower. I simmered it for a few more minutes until it all came together and had a wonderful bowl of quick suop. There was even enough for me to have a bowl for lunch on Saturday.

Tip: if the curry is a little too strong mellow out the flavors but adding a little bit of honey or sugar. You will find that this will round out the curry!

7 Soups in 7 Days: Volume 2 #6

Chorizo Black Bean

This is another great one for me. Again, it is another simple one and I usually pick up the ingredients when I am at my local Mexican grocery store. Brown 1 pound of coin-cut hard chorizo in a large stock pot. Add a large diced onion and cook on medium heat until soft. Add 2 large diced potatoes and cover with 4-6 cups of stock [I use beef stock for this recipe.] when potatoes are soft add 2 drained and rinsed cans of black beans. Bring up to heat and garnish with shreded cabbage, diced red oinons, and chopped cilantro. Serve with warm corn tortillas.

7 Soups in 7 Days: Volume 2 #5

Corn Chowder

You would never believe how much of this I eat in the summer when corn is fresh and abundant. I buy at least 2 dozen ears of corn every week from my "corn-guy" at the West Allis Farmers Market. His corn is so good I eat it raw right off of the cob while I am walking around the market; I usually manage to eat a couple of them as I am walking up and down the aisles. This is simple and here is what you do. in a large soup pot:

Brown 1/2 slab diced salt pork

add 1 diced onion and cook until tender

add 4 sliced potatoes and cook until tender

soak 3-4 thick slices of hearty bread in 2 cups of 1/2 & 1/2

season and add to pot with 3 cups of fresh corn and add topotato mixture.

Bring to as boil and garnish with crisp crumbled bacon and serve with your favorite heatry bread.

7 Soups in 7 Days: Volume 2 #4

Muscles in Broth

THIS IS ONE OF MY MOST FAVORITE THINGS EVER!

This, like the others, is very quick, easy and delicious.

Scrub 1/2 pound of muscles per person. Personally, I throw down a pound by myself: no seafood is safe around me! Oink! Oink! In a large wok or in a very large skillet saute 1 small to medium with 3 cloves of garlic in 2 tablespoons of butter and a small handful of fresh chopped parsley (per serving). Saute 3-4 minutes and add a splash of dry vermouth (it isn't just for martinis anymore) and muscles. Just as the first muscles start to open add about 3/4 cup of stock per serving making sure that the muscles are being stirred and that you keep them moving. This will keep the first muscles that open from over cooking while the rest of the muscles start to open. When half of the muscles are open add one pour around the pan of cream or half and half.. Simmer a couple of minutes until all of the shells have opened. Discard any shells that have not opened. Throw another small handful of fresh chopped parsley over each portion of muscles and definately serve the one with toasted french bread. Squeeze a little fresh lime juice over each individual seving. You will want to use the bread to soak up all that good juice!

7 Soups in 7 Days: Volume 2 #3

Sausage Bean

This is a version of something that Michael came up with a few years back. In Michael's version it is a hearty stew-like pot of yumminess, but I have transformed it into a soup. It is really quick and simple and, it is a great reason to get to the local butcher. [Don't forget to pick up some salt pork while you are there. You are gonna need it for corn chowder.] C&R Market has 1 pound polish sausages and that is what I like best! You can use any sausage you have on hand. I've made this with just about every kind of sausage available here in Wisconsin! Hello that sure is a lot of kinds of sausages. "I Know!"

In a large pot place sausage half way covered with water, cover with lid and simmer about 10-15 minutes. Turn and replace water to half way cover sausage, keep covered and continue to cook another 15 minutes. Remove when done. Saute 1 large diced onion, 4 cloves of minced garlic in a splash of olive oil. Cut sausage into coins and add to the pot and caramelize the sausage on medium heat. Add 1 large jar of Randall's great northern beans with liquid, 1 bag of frozen mixed vegetables, and 3 cups of stock. Heat and eat!