Cid’s Spicy Chili

Cloud Strife and Cid Highwind“Sit your ass down in that chair and drink your goddamn TEA!”

—Cid Highwind, FFVII

This recipe uses three sausages from a 1-lb. package.  To use the remaining two sausages, see Lunar Lentil Soup.

  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 large onion or two small onions, peeled and diced (about 1½ cups)
  • 4 small carrots, chopped (about 1 cup)
  • 1 head of garlic (about 8-12 cloves), peeled and halved
  • 2 jalapeno peppers, minced
  • 3 pork sausages, uncooked, casing removed and cut into 1″ pieces (about 10 oz. total)
  • 4 tablespoons chili powder
  • 1 tablespoon dried Italian seasoning, crushed
  • 1 tablespoon ground cumin
  • ½ tablespoon ground coriander
  • ½ tablespoon dry mustard
  • 1½ lbs. beef stew meat, uncooked, cut into 1″ pieces
  • 2 14-oz. cans diced tomatoes (fire-roasted variety preferred)
  • 2 to 4 tablespoons hot pepper sauce, depending on how hot you like it (Cholula or Tapatio are recommended)
  • 1 14-oz. can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 14-oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 14-oz. can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 14-oz. can white beans, drained and rinsed
  • 4 cups chicken broth
  • Juice of 1 lime

Heat butter and oil in a large soup pot over medium-high heat.  Add onions and cook for 10 minutes, covered. Stir frequently and reduce heat if the onions are browning too quickly.  Add carrots, garlic, and jalapeno peppers, and cook, uncovered, for 15 minutes.

Add sausage and brown on all sides, about 5 minutes.  Meanwhile, add spices. Add stew meat and brown on all sides, about 5 more minutes.

Pour in tomatoes and hot pepper sauce and continue to cook for an additional 5 minutes.  Add beans and chicken broth and bring to a boil.

Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until stew meat is very tender, about 3-4 hours.  Stir in lime juice and serve.

Makes about 9 heaping 1-cup servings.  Per serving: 457 calories, 15 g. fat, 5.7 g. saturated fat, 0.4 g. poly. fat, 2.8 g. mono. fat, 75.15 mg. cholesterol, 1497.7 mg. sodium (this will be less if you use homemade chicken stock instead of storebought), 103.8 mg. potassium, 47 g. carbohydrates, 12.8 g. fiber, 33.4 g. protein, vitamin A 30%, vitamin C 470%, calcium 16%, iron 30%