Madras Chili

By stancec44

This recipe is from Sara Perry’s “The Complete Coffee Book,” which came out in 1991, when upscale coffee was still emerging as a key element of Portland’s psyche. Perry was always on the hunt for the perfect bowl of chili, and this one uses coffee to enhance its richness. Serve with hot cornbread and ice-cold beer.

Ingredients

• 1 cup dried red beans
• 1 1/4 cups extra-strength coffee, divided
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 2 pounds top sirloin steak, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 1 1/2 tablespoons chili powder
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 can (14 1/2 ounces) tomato purée, crushed peeled tomatoes or petite diced tomatoes
• 1 cup beef broth
• Salt, to taste
• Sour cream, for garnish
• Grated Monterey jack cheese, for garnish
• Chopped cilantro, for garnish

Preparation

Step 1

In a small mixing bowl, cover the red beans with 1 cup coffee. Soak overnight.

In a deep Dutch oven or soup pot with a tight-fitting lid, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil and sauté the onion over medium heat until soft, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté for about 1 minute more, until the garlic begins to brown. Remove the onion mixture from the pot and set aside.

Add the remaining tablespoon of oil, and, working in two or three batches, brown the steak cubes, about 8 minutes per batch. Browning the steak in batches keeps the meat from crowding the pot, allowing it to brown properly.

Return the onion mixture to the pot. Add the remaining 1/4 cup of coffee, spices and tomatoes to the pot. Bring to a boil, stir well and allow to simmer for 10 minutes. Add the beef broth and the drained beans to the pot and bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce the heat, cover the pot, and simmer for 1 hour. Season to taste with salt.

To serve, ladle the chili into individual bowls and top with the sour cream, grated cheese and cilantro.