BoomerGirl Diary

As the temperature drops and the skies appear more grey than blue, I find myself reaching for a warm coat and gloves, signaling that winter has arrived. As I head off to the grocery store, I realize my appetite is changing too. Salad meals and grilled chicken are now just a distant memory. My tastes are turning to hearty dishes with full flavors. It's time for chili.

I make my chili with chunks of beef simmered slowly with caramelized onions, tomatoes and a variety of spices — toasted cumin seed, cinnamon and clove — guaranteed to send you into a pleasant sensory overload. I stir in some New Mexico red chile powder and chipotle peppers in adobo sauce to add a hot and smoky Southwestern dimension to the chili. Simmer this magical mixture for a couple of hours and you are sure to find comfort for the chilly nights ahead.

Beef chili with chipotle, cinnamon and clove

3 1/2 to 4 pound beef chuck arm roast

4 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided

salt & black pepper

1 cup onion, finely chopped

1 tablespoon cumin seed, toasted*

1 tablespoon New Mexico red chile powder

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground clove

1 teaspoon Mexican oregano

1 7-ounce can chipotle peppers in adobo sauce (use 2 to 4 chiles plus 1 to 2 tablespoons adobo sauce)

4 to 6 garlic cloves, minced

1 cup diced canned tomatoes

6 cups water

corn tortillas, warmed

Remove the fat from the beef roast and cut into 1-inch cubes. In a large braising pan or a skillet with a lid, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Brown the beef in batches. Remove the beef to a platter and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Reduce the heat to medium and add 1 tablespoon of oil to the pan. Add the onion and cook until soft and lightly browned.

Coarsely crush the toasted cumin seed in a mortar with pestle, or in a spice grinder. In a small bowl, combine the cumin seed with the chili powder, cinnamon, clove, and oregano. Using plastic gloves, remove 2 or 3 chipotle chiles from the can and finely chop them. (Use 2 chile peppers for medium-hot, 3 to 4 for very hot.) Add the peppers to the spice mixture. Add 1 tablespoon of adobo sauce (or 2 or more tablespoons for very hot) to the spice mixture and stir to combine. Add another tablespoon of oil to the pan and stir in the chili and spice mixture and the minced garlic. Cook the mixture over medium heat, stirring frequently for about 2 minutes. Stir in the browned beef cubes. Add the tomatoes and water and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer the chili, uncovered, for about 1 1/2 to 2 hours, stirring occasionally, until the sauce begins to concentrate and thicken. Cover the pan with a lid to so that the sauce will not further reduce and continue cooking for about 30 minutes more, or until the meat is very tender. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Serve with warm corn tortillas. Serves 6.

• To toast the cumin seed: Place the cumin seed in a skillet over medium heat. Stir or shake the pan frequently until the cumin seed is lightly browned and begins to give off an aroma, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove the seed from the pan and cool.