Zorac (zorac) wrote,
Zorac
zorac
  • Mood: duh...

Culinary Catastrophes

Yes, I know the subject is over-dramatic, but never mind. I got started on the cooking without any problems, but it all went wrong when I came to do the rice - it comes in one of those laughably "re-sealable" packets (which maybe re-stick once, but never more, and chances are you rip the packet six ways to Sunday when you first open it) - I pull it down from the cupboard and sure enough it got split when I first opened it and rice goes everywhere. By the time I've actually got the rice on, then cleaned up the mess (under-powered vacuum cleaner etc) the food is done - except that the distraction led me to miss out a vital ingredient that I should have added when I put the rice on. Argh!

zorac's Quick'N'Easy Chili con Carne

Roughly chop one medium-sized onion and fry gently. Add 250g lean minced beef and continue to fry until brown. Pour in a good splash of red wine (plus a glass for yourself, a la Floyd), and add seasoning - salt, an Oxo cube and 1/2 jar of mild chili powder (plus optional extras such as freshly ground black pepper, Garam Masala, Mixed spice etc if required). Stir in well, then add a small tin of chopped tomatoes and leave to simmer for 20 minutes or so. After putting on the water for the rice, strain and rinse a tin of red kidney beans and add to the chilli. When the rice is done, serve up with a generous topping of mature cheddar cheese and a tinny on the side. Lovely.
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  • 7 comments
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zorac

October 29 2002, 15:05:06 UTC 18 years ago

It was the kidney beans what I forgot.

On the subject of spices, it's pretty much a matter of taste. My take would be that that by using milder spices you get more flavour for the same amount of heat (if that makes any sense). Stronger spices would be more beneficial for those aiming for the Dave Lister school of Haute Cuisine (not too little, not too much...).

jiggery_pokery

October 29 2002, 15:14:51 UTC 18 years ago

There you go - chilli senza carne. (I have a suspicion that con is Spanish and senza Italian, but you know what I mean.)

*fiddles with free-translator*

chilli sin carne, apparently.

A reasonably-priced translator interjects...

ericklendl

October 29 2002, 16:13:21 UTC 18 years ago

Ah, no. I'm fairly sure that chilli sin carne would have required a rather more catastrophic failure to add the mince, carne seemingly sharing etymological roots with carnivore.

But I'm also fairly sure that con is at least as Italian as it is Spanish, thinking of musical terms such as con brio (lit. With Crappy HP Computer), so it may in fact be that chilli senza carne *would* be the correct form, except that in this case it's still a chilli con carne, if not a traditional recipe.

Re: A reasonably-priced translator interjects...

jiggery_pokery

October 29 2002, 17:31:00 UTC 18 years ago

Ah yes. Whoops.

There are many people for whom chilli sin carne would represent a catastrophic failure - I dare say, not a few creatures too. Naturally I meant to say chilli sin kidney-beans, which works out at chilli sin el frijol del riñon, which sounds silly. (There might be number issues there, too.)

Wish I'd kept my "games" icon now...

Re: A reasonably-priced translator interjects...

addedentry

October 30 2002, 01:27:04 UTC 18 years ago

Chilli con Quorn, perhaps.

Tasty recipe (electrons are fat-free). Why didn't you drink the wine with the meal?

Re: A reasonably-priced translator interjects...

zorac

October 30 2002, 03:56:14 UTC 18 years ago

Aside: One thing that really annoys me is dishes claiming to be "Vegetarian Chili con Carne". Duh!

Wine is (IMO) not a terribly good accompaniment for spicy foods because:
  1. The spices somewhat deaden the palate so you can't actually taste the wine terribly well
  2. With hot (as in spicy) food, one generally wants a long, cool drink