White Chicken Chili

Ok, before I begin with the recipe, I must mention one of my two faithful readers who informed me real chili is not cooked with beans or onion.  This reader also confessed to not eating food beginning with the letter B, such as beans, bread, boa constrictors, or black-footed ferrets.

In the effort to be all things to all people, I declare and proclaim that in the heart of the matter, my faithful reader is correct.  According to my copy of Texas the Beautiful Cookbook, real chili, which can only mean Texas Chili, is not cooked with beans or onions. Those are added later by fearless iconoclasts who don’t care what people think and are willing to accept spiteful scorn.

HUGE HINT: You can make this chili using just the chicken and seasonings and chicken broth.  I promise it will taste good.  In the event it does not taste good, I will send you the name and address of the person on whom your righteous wrath should descend.  

If you’re giving up the beans and onion, but still need a little more sustenance in your chili, add some hominy. Not grits.  If you can’t stand the milk or cream the recipe calls for, don’t add it.

For normal people, and by that I mean people like yours truly, who are either trustworthy, brave, honest, or decent – pick any one -, I offer this White Chicken Chili recipe.

White Chicken Chili

1 Tablespoon olive oil, either virgin, extra virgin, or well used, but still cute, cuddly and warm olive oil.

½ Onion, diced

½ Jalapeño, diced, or to taste

1½ Pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1 inch pieces

1 Clove of garlic, minced

3 Teaspoons (or more) chili powder

1 Teaspoon ground cumin

1 Teaspoon smoked paprika

4 Tablespoons Masa

1¼ Teaspoons salt

¼ Teaspoon or more, Cayenne pepper

1½ Cups frozen corn kernels (no need to thaw)

2 15oz cans white beans, drained and rinsed

4 Cups chicken broth

¼ Cup heavy cream or half and half or whole milk

For garnish:  chopped cilantro, grated cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese, diced avocado

To accompany:  freshly fried corn tortilla chips:  Cut up packaged corn tortillas, fry them in oil at 350ºF, drain them on a paper towel and add salt.

In a medium soup pot, heat the olive oil, then add the onion and jalapeños and cook until the onion is wilted. 

Add the chicken and cook until it is cooked through.

Add the garlic and spices and mix until the chicken is coated.

Add the corn, beans, and chicken broth and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to low and cook for 20 minutes.

Use a dough cutter or the back of a wide spoon to smash some of the beans to make a thicker chili.  Mix in the cream or milk.

Before you serve the chili, don’t forget the garnish!

Salmon Chowder

I know for many of you, summer still abounds, with fluffy flowers blowing in a gentle breeze, the blazing sun overhead in a field of blue. The pleasures of sweat drops easing down your neck on the way to your car.  Yeah?  Well, I’m not writing for you.  You deserve no more sympathy than a porn star on a blind date, and no delicious Salmon Chowder.  I still haven’t made up my mind about whether I even like you or not.

I’m writing for the eternally hopeful, already feeling the bite of chilly air, who mourn the brown, saddened flowers, and stare teary eyed at the leaves cluttering the sidewalk in a maudlin display of self sacrifice.

Yes, my friends, I write for those ill-favored souls who must face the shortened days of dying sunlight and know they can’t make it through the day on brandy alone, even delicious brandy, such as the Armagnac filled water glass I hold in my two quivering hands.  So, first let me take a swallow…perhaps two swallows…make that two gulps…and lead you toward a chowder that will haunt the dreams of the middle-aged who already realize the best years dwell in the shadows of yesterday and dreams of chowder are a poor substitute for dreams of jolly, large breasted women.  Don’t mean to leave out the ladies, who no doubt dream of jolly, large breasted men.

Salmon Chowder

½ diced red bell pepper

1 medium potato, peeled and cubed into ½ inch pieces

½ cup of sliced mushrooms

½ pound sliced bacon, cut crosswise into thin strips

2 cups thin sliced leeks, white portions only

1cup fresh or frozen corn kernels

A palm’s worth of sprigs of fresh thyme

4 tablespoons of butter

3 cups whole milk

2 ½ cups of whipping cream

1 ½ pounds fresh salmon, skin discarded

Salt and pepper to taste

Chopped fresh chives or other green herbs for garnish

Pre-heat oven to 400ºF (200ºC)

Boil the cubed potatoes in a saucepan of salted water until barely tender.  Drain and set aside.

Cook the bacon in a five quart, heavy pot until crisp.  Remove and set aside.

Salt and pepper fresh salmon, put it on a foil-lined baking sheet and place it in the pre-heated oven for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and roughly flake the fish.

In the same pot you used for the bacon, drain off the bacon fat, add butter and cook the leeks and diced red bell pepper until until wilted.

Add the milk, cream, salmon, bacon, corn and thyme. Bring just to a boil, then turn down the heat. Stir and cook 5-8 minutes.

Add salt and pepper as desired.

Serve with some rounds of a freshly baked baguette.

Don't forget to garnish with fresh chopped chives to the bowls of chowder.

If you still need more help with the transition from summer to misery, I suggest another water glass of Armagnac.