In the summer, people tend to fall in around here, sometimes when we least expect it. Spontaneous plans get made in the morning or a minute before because the weather’s nice and Alan’s almost always game for a barbecue (though he has been known to get cranky when the dishes pile up.)
He is constitutionally “allergic” to making salad and the appetizers and the sides (unless we’re talking grilled vegetables and the occasional amazing polenta) generally fall on my shoulders. But, since the side dishes and appetizers often define a meal, give it its flourish so to speak, it could be viewed as a tiny opportunity, to show off.
So here are a couple of my favorites, that involve a minimum of effort, the next time there are hot dogs on or burgers or Alaskan salmon on the grill and you just have to rustle something up to go along with them.
Anna Jane Hays’ Amazing Chili:
This can be served as a meal on warm tortillas or as a side dish (a relish to speak) for hot dogs. Everyone loves chili dogs (even if they say they don’t), skip the cheese and the extra onions. And I challenge anyone to a chili cook-off. (I’m talking to you James Moore!)
Appetizers:
Lila’s Guacamole, served with tortilla chips, Grilled Brie and Mango Quesadillas, served with a fruit, preferably mango or spicy tomato salsa, Holly's Caviar Pie , served with Carr’s Table Wafers or my favorite, My Mother’s Cottage Cheese Dip (just don’t tell anyone what’s in it) served with that old standard Ruffles Potato Chips.
Sides:
Easy Greens (this can be chard or collard, with bacon or without), a little al dente and definitely good for you, Easy Macaroni & Cheese, Evelyn Hall’s Baked Beans (a Southern version that even people who hate beans seem to love), Alan’s Polenta (everyone once in awhile, he makes the sides, too), Mark Bittman’s Biscuits and Broccoli Rabe with Garlic and Hot Pepper.
Keep an extra package of hot dogs and buns around. If even more people fall in than you expect add an extra can of beans to Anna Jays Chili recipe.
Anna Jane Hays’ Amazing Chili
Chop one onion, one red pepper, one green pepper. (Do not dice, these should be chopped onions and peppers.)
In a large frying pan, saute in olive oil. Adding onions first, until they get a little translucent and then adding the chopped peppers, until they get a little soft. Do not brown! And, if you’re feeling a little adventurous, sprinkle some cumin on the onions when they first start to cook.
With a slotted spoon transfer onions and pepper into a large red creuset or other large stove top pot (even a pasta pot will do).
In a large frying pan, saute in olive oil, two pounds of hamburger meat (slightly lean), until brown, separating the meat, so it’s in tiny pieces.
Add cooked hamburger, also with a slotted spoon, trying not to add the oil from the cooked hamburger or olive oil) to creuset. Pour in One Large Can of Canned Tomatoes, they can be in tomato sauce, but not in tomato puree. And two cans of Vegetarian Baked Beans. (Drain a little of the liquid out of the baked bean cans before adding.)
Add two teaspoons of ground cumin and sprinkle two teaspoons of chili caribe on the mixture, stirring it in. (Chili caribe is a lot like that red hot pepper flakes you use for garnishing pizza and works just fine! Available at any market. Should be the red and yellow chili flakes, not chili powder!)
Cook on a low to medium flame, stirring occasionally, but be sure to scrape the bottom, for one to two hours.
(Make sure it stays a little liquid, as it cooks, add another half a can of tomatoes if needed. Or you can toss in a cup of water...)
Depending on how spicy you like it, add more chili pepper flakes. Sometimes we even add a little jalapeno pepper (either fresh or Mezzetta). Five minutes before serving, add one teaspoon of white sugar and stiff and cook for five minutes longer.
Completely delicious. And I say to all other chili cookers, bring it on!
AE