Chorizo Chili

Oh chorizo! How I love thee!  And to put you into chili, well that just puts my love over the top.

If you've never cooked, or have heard of, chorizo, you're missing out. Its a Mexican sausage that has a ton of flavor (and fat).  Its found mostly in a tube in/around the meat section of most grocery stores - unless you live in the middle of no where. 

I was introduced to chorizo during my exchange student program when I lived in Mexico.  The mother of the family I lived with was a great cook and she cooked with chorizo on a regular basis.  My favorite meal, and I know this will sound weird, was her frying up some chorizo, then potatoes tossed in.  We'd put that goodness into a tortilla and call it an late evening snack.  My mouth is watering just thinking about this.

This chili was HOT.  Way too hot for me and if I did it again I'd leave out the chipotle chilis. While I love them I think their flavor overpowered the chili.  I served this with a bowl of rice to help cut down on the flames that were spewing forth. Still it was really flavorful and filling.

Its a slow cooker meal too. You can either take all day on low, or 3-4 hours on high. I chose the latter...mostly because I got a later start then I had planned.

Chorizo Chili

Serves 6

• 1 lb stew meat
• Salt and pepper
• 1 T vegetable oil
• 1 can Fire roasted tomatoes (28oz) diced or whole
• 1 can black beans (15 oz) drained and rinsed
• 1 tube Mexican chorizo sausage (10oz)
• 1 cup onion, chopped
• 1 cup frozen corn, thawed (though I don't know why because they'll thaw in the crock pot)
• 2 T minced garlic
• 2 T chili powder
• 2 T minced chipotle chilli's pepper in adobo (you can usually find this on your Mexican food aisle)
• 1 T Ground cumin
• 1 T minced fresh oregano, or 1 tsp dried

Season the stew meat with salt and pepper; brown meat in oil in a skillet over medium- high heat for 5 minutes (optional).  I started my chorizo cooking in the skillet and then tossed in the stew meat. I let them cook together for about 5 minutes.

Combine all the ingredients into a slow cooker.  Cover; cook until beef is tender.  High heat 3-4 hours. Low setting 7-8.

Without the chipotles I'm sure this stew wouldn't have been as hot as it was.  So if you're not a heat person, leave those out.

Pork Marsala

I'm a big fan of Marsala. Chicken Marsala is one of my all time favorite dishes.  I've recently re-introduced pork back into my life (long story as to why it left and better left off the blog) and am thrilled that it can be coupled with Marsala wine and taste just as tasty as chicken Marsala.

Super easy recipe with a ton of flavor. If you like just a hint of Marsala flavor back off on the amount. This dish is pretty heavy tasting on the Marsala...which was fine by me.

Smothered Pork Marsala
Recipe from Cuisine at Home Weeknight Menus
Serves 6

For the Pork -

• 1 1/2 lb pork chops, no bone, thin cut
• 2 T extra virgin olive oil
• 2 T butter, divided
• 1/2 cup flour
• Salt and Pepper

For the sauce -

• 1/2 lb cremini mushrooms, halved
• 2 T minced shallots
• 1 T extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tsp minced garlic (yah right - I used a good heaping tablespoon)
• 1 T flour
• 1/2 cup Marsala
• 1 cup 1/2 and 1/2 (I did 1/2 cup chicken broth and 1/2 cup half and half)
• 1/4 cup minced fresh parsley

Pat dry the pork chops.  Season with salt and pepper. Dredge in flour.  Shake excess flour off and set chop aside.

Heat 1 T oil and 1 T butter in a sauté pan over medium-high heat.  Sauté chops turning once until meat is brown on both sides, 2-4 minutes per side. Remove pork to a plate, cover meat to keep warm.  Add 1T oil and 1 T butter and sauté remaining pork. 

Add mushrooms to pan; sauté until softened, 5-7 minutes. Add shallots, then 1 T oil and garlic to pan; cook until softened, 2-3 minutes.  Stir in the 1 T flour.  Deglaze the pan with the Marsala, stirring up browned bits from bottom of the pan. Cook sauce until liquid is reduced by half. Stir in half and half; summer 5 minutes. Return meat and juices from the plate; heat through. Place pork on plates and cover with Marsala sauce and parsley.