Monica Greene Shares Her Chili Recipes

Chili Days
Celebrated local chef Monica Greene shares her recipes for the ultimate wintertime comfort food.

Monica Greene is no stranger to spice, and her love of using fresh ingredients to create authentic Mexican cuisine has garnered her praise as a chef. The director and president of Edos Corp., which owns and operates the Ciudad D.F. and Monica’s Aca y Alla restaurants, says that she has always been drawn to exotic but uncomplicated dishes “which explains her love of chili.

While chili con carne sounds like a Mexican dish, it is truly the definition of Tex-Mex cuisine. Chili was first prepared in the 18th century in the area that is now known as San Antonio. Since then, chili has become entrenched in America’s lexicon of comfort food

Monica’s introduction to chili came in 1974, just after she arrived in America from Mexico. She remembers that first bowl fondly: The complexity and fiery taste of the dish evoked some of the flavors that I became so familiar with while growing up in my country “dried chile, cumin, garlic, and chocolate, she says. Because of that, more than any other north-of-the-border recipe, chili fills me with nostalgia and warms my heart.

Since it’s chilly outside, this is the perfect time to whip up a little chili of your own. We’ve asked Monica to share her favorite recipes for this warm, winter treat.

Chili con Carne
(serves 6)

MONICA’S TIP: Use beef round, cut into small cubes, rather than ground beef for a rich and
hearty chili.

Use a Dutch oven or a cast-iron skillet.

 1  cup yellow onion, diced
 2  cloves garlic, minced
 2  tablespoons vegetable oil
 2  pounds beef round, cut into1/2-inch cubes
 1  cup beef broth
 4  cups canned Roma tomatoes, drained and chopped
 1  tablespoon salt
 1  tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
 1  tablespoon unsweetened cocoa
 3  tablespoons brown sugar
 3  tablespoons chili powder
 1  teaspoon ground Mexican oregano
 1  teaspoon cayenne pepper
 1  teaspoon Tabasco sauce
 1 1/2  teaspoons fresh ground pepper
 2  teaspoons ground cumin
 2  bay leaves
 1  cup strong coffee
 1  12-oz. can beer
 2  cups cooked and drained kidney beans (substitute black beans or pinto beans, if you prefer)

Place the onions, garlic, and oil in skillet. Saut until soft. Add the beef cubes and sear. Once the meat is brown and seared on the outside, add the beef broth and heat for a couple of minutes. Add the remaining ingredients, except the beer and beans. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for about 45 minutes, partially covered. After 45 minutes, add the beans first, then pour in the beer while stirring the chili. Cook for 15 minutes.

Chili con Vegetables
(serves 6)
 
Use a Dutch oven or a cast-iron skillet.

 1    cup yellow onion, diced
 2    cloves garlic, minced
 2     tablespoons vegetable oil
 1     pound yellow squash and Mexican calabazita (aka zucchini), chopped
 1     cup vegetable stock or, if you prefer, water
 1     cup mushroom caps, cut in half
 1     cup roasted corn kernels or canned corn
 1/2  pound green and red bell peppers, chopped
 1     cup chayote, chopped (small, gourd-like fruit, similar to squash)
 1/2  pound carrots, chopped
 4     cups canned Roma tomatoes, drained and chopped
 1     tablespoon salt
 1     tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
 1     tablespoon unsweetened cocoa
 3     tablespoons brown sugar
 3     tablespoons chili powder
 1     teaspoon ground Mexican oregano
 1     teaspoon cayenne pepper
 1     teaspoon Tabasco sauce
 1    1/2 teaspoons fresh ground pepper
 2     teaspoons ground cumin
 2     bay leaves
 1     cup strong coffee
 1    12-oz. can beer
 2    cups cooked and drained kidney beans (substitute black beans or pinto beans, if you prefer)

Place the onions, garlic, and oil in skillet. Saut until soft. Add the carrots, chayote, and bell peppers, and sear for a couple of minutes. Add the vegetable broth, and heat for a couple of minutes. Add the rest of the ingredients, except the beer and beans. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for about 35 minutes, partially covered. After 35 minutes, add the beans first, then pour in the beer while stirring. Cook for 15 minutes.

Monica Greene (left) has been involved in the restaurant business for 27 years and is a proud member of the Dallas chapter of Les Dames d’Escoffier, a charitable association of professional women in the fields of food, fine beverage, and hospitality. Since its founding in 1984, the Dallas chapter has raised more than $600,000 in endowments, scholarships, and grants with its annual Raiser Grazer event. For more information, visit ldedallas.org.