Calabrese con Carne

When the house gets a little chilly, whip up this Italian chili, featuring slow-cooked chuck roast and a tomato base infused with Calabrian peppers.

Ingredients

For the sauce:

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon garlic paste

1 tablespoon of tomato paste

2 cups of marinara or any type of canned tomato product

1/2 cup chopped Calabrian peppers (buy them jarred on Amazon/Whole Foods)

2-3 whole roasted red peppers, drained

1/3 cup sliced hot cherry peppers, drained

1/3 peppadew peppers, drained (find them in the deli area)

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2-1 cup vegetable stock (if vegetarian), or 1 cup reserved beef broth, from cooking the meat

For the meat:

2 pounds chuck of roast cut into 1-inch chunks

1/2 of a white onion

1 garlic clove, peeled

1 small bay leaf

1/2 tablespoon kosher or sea salt

1 teaspoon black peppercorns

Instructions

To make the sauce:

1. Heat olive oil over medium heat. Once the oil is warm, add your garlic paste and tomato paste and mix it into the oil, allowing it to toast for about 15-30 seconds.

2. Add your marinara or tomatoes, Calabrian peppers, roasted red peppers, cherry peppers, peppadew peppers, salt and oregano and stir to combine.

3. Reduce heat slightly and simmer for about 15-30 minutes. Stir about every 5 minutes and add some stock, as needed, if the mixture starts to get a little dry.

4. Transfer the sauce to a blender and blend for 10-15 seconds on low.  Once smooth, transfer the sauce back to your pot.

To cook the meat:

1. Place the meat in a large pot and add enough water to cover it by about an inch or two. Add the white onion, garlic clove, bay leaf, salt, and black peppercorns. Bring to a rolling boil over high heat. Skim off any foam that rises to the top, reduce the heat to medium-low, cover and cook until the meat is completely cooked through and tender enough to pull apart easily with your fingers, about 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 hours.

2. Using a slotted spoon, remove the meat from the broth and place in a bowl. Strain the broth into a separate bowl or container and reserve 1 cup.

3. Once the meat is cool enough to handle, shred and discard any excess fat, and add it to your sauce. Simmer over medium-low for 15-20 minutes, stirring often. Add some of the reserved beef broth if the mixture starts to stick or burn on the bottom of the pan, or if you prefer a thinner chili. Taste and adjust salt. Garnish with shaved Parmesan and chopped Italian parsley.

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Calabrese con Carne

Yield: 6

Author: Alicia Shevetone

Prep time: 15 MinCook time: 2 HourInactive time: 1 H & 15 MTotal time: 3 H & 30 M

When the house gets a little chilly, whip up this Italian chili, featuring slow-cooked chuck roast and a tomato base infused with Calabrian peppers.

Ingredients

For the sauce:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon garlic paste
• 1 tablespoon of tomato paste
• 2 cups of marinara or any type of canned tomato product
• 1/2 cup chopped Calabrian peppers
• 3 whole roasted red peppers, drained
• 1/3 cup sliced hot cherry peppers, drained
• 1/3 peppadew peppers, drained (find them in the deli area)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2-1 cup vegetable stock (if vegetarian), or 1 cup reserved beef broth from cooking the meat

For the meat:

• 2 pounds chuck of roast cut into 1-inch chunks
• 1/2 of a white onion
• 1 garlic clove peeled
• 1 small bay leaf
• 1/2 tablespoon kosher or sea salt
• 1 teaspoon black peppercorns

Instructions

To make the sauce:

1. Heat olive oil over medium heat. Once the oil is warm, add your garlic paste and tomato paste and mix it into the oil, allowing it to toast for about 15-30 seconds. 
2. Add your marinara or tomatoes, Calabrian peppers, roasted red peppers, cherry peppers, peppadew peppers, salt, and oregano and stir to combine. 
3. Reduce heat slightly and simmer for about 15-30 minutes. Stir about every 5 minutes and add some stock, as needed, if the mixture starts to get a little dry.
4. Transfer the sauce to a blender and blend for 10-15 seconds on low. Once smooth, transfer the sauce back to your pot. If you are vegetarian, enjoy with vegetables or over an alternative protein. Garnish with shaved Parmesan and chopped Italian parsley.

To cook the meat:

1. Place the meat in a large pot and add enough water to cover it by about an inch or two. Add the white onion, garlic clove, bay leaf, salt, and black peppercorns. Bring to a rolling boil over high heat. Skim off any foam that rises to the top, reduce the heat to medium-low, cover and cook until the meat is completely cooked through and tender enough to pull apart easily with your fingers, about 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 hours.
2. Using a slotted spoon, remove the meat from the broth and place in a bowl. Strain the broth into a separate bowl or container and reserve 1 cup. 
3. Once the meat is cool enough to handle, shred and discard any excess fat, and add it to your sauce. Simmer over medium-low for 15-20 minutes, stirring often. Add some of the reserved beef broth if the mixture starts to stick or burn on the bottom of the pan, or if you prefer a thinner chili. Taste and adjust salt. Garnish with shaved Parmesan and chopped Italian parsley.

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