Chili with Baked Cornmeal Topping

When you feel like having chili, but want to make it something special, then why not make a chili baked with cornmeal topping. It is a very tasty and comforting way to serve chili – the golden cornmeal topping bakes on top of the chili in a Dutch oven and provides a perfect meal in one pot.

Chili:

3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1.5 pounds beef chunks
2 onions, diced
8 garlic cloves
3 tablespoons tomato paste
2 tablespoons sweet vermouth
2 14-oz cans of crushed tomatoes
1 cup water
1 ½ cups cooked black beans

Spices/Flavorings:

1 teaspoon dried coriander
6 teaspoons homemade chili powder
1 cardamom pod, bruised
2 teaspoons salt
3 teaspoons cocoa powder
2 teaspoons sugar
2 teaspoons Worcester sauce
Juice from ½ lemon

Cornbread topping

1.5 cup cornmeal
½ cup all-purpose flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup buttermilk
2 eggs
4 tablespoons vegetable oil
½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese (or cheddar cheese)

Method:

Start making the chili by heating up the oil in a large cast-iron pot (dutch oven). Sauté the meat in two batches in order to brown them properly. Once the meat is browned, remove from the pan and add the onions. Sautee the onions until soft in the same pan, then add the meat. Crush 6 of the garlic cloves and add them along with the tomato paste. Sauté for a couple of minutes, then de-glaze the pan with the dry vermouth, and make sure to scrape off any brown bits.

Add about half the amount of the spices (1/2 teaspoons coriander, 3 teaspoons chili powder, 1 cardamom pod, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon cocoa powder). Sauté for a couple of minutes, then add the crushed tomatoes and the water. Let cook for a couple of hours on low heat – preferably 3-5 hours.

After a couple of hours, taste the chili, and add the cooked beans, press the remaining two garlic cloves and add the remaining spices plus the sugar, the Worcester sauce and the lemon juice. Add more spices according to taste and cook for another 30 minutes to an hour.

When the chili is done, make the cornmeal topping. In a bowl, mix together the cornmeal, the flour, the baking powder and the salt. In a separate bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, the eggs and the oil. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, try not to over work the dough. Pour the topping on top of the chili and bake in a 425 F degree oven for about 20 – 25 minutes until golden brown. When it’s done, sprinkle the top with cheese and bake under the broiled for another minute or two. Serve with white onion, sour cream and fresh avocado.