Chili Sin Carne

Recipe by Kevin Jeung

Chili Sin Carne

Recipe by Kevin Jeung

Serves 4

Mushroom Garum

Ingredients

1L water
40g shiitake mushroom, dried
500g brown button mushrooms, finely chopped
15g salt
50g vegetable oil
300g white onion, finely chopped
200g red bell pepper, finely chopped
100g green bell pepper, finely chopped

1 clove garlic, minced
1 bay leaf
3g cayenne pepper
3g black peppercorns, cracked
1g cinnamon, ground
10g cumin, ground
7g smoked paprika
2g hot mustard powder

1kg canned tomato, chopped
1 ancho chile, dried
400g brewed coffee
300g canned red kidney beans, rinsed well
80g Smoked Mushroom Garum
20g dark chocolate (>80%)
Salt, to taste

Cilantro, chopped, for garnish
Scallion, sliced, for garnish
Crème fraîche, for garnish
Jalapeño pepper, diced, for garnish
Monterey Jack cheese, grated, for garnish

Method

Boil 1L of water. Place shiitake mushrooms into a small bowl and pour boiling water over the mushrooms. Be sure the water completely covers the mushrooms. Let soak for 15 minutes.
Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the chopped button mushrooms and cook until deeply browned, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes.
Once the shiitake mushrooms are hydrated, remove them from the water (reserve this liquid), and gently squeeze them to extract excess water. If your shiitake mushrooms have long, woody stems, cut off the rough part of the stems and discard. Coarsely chop the shiitake mushrooms and add to pot.
Add onion and peppers to the pot and continue cooking over medium heat until the vegetables are soft and begin to caramelize, about 10 minutes. Add garlic, bay leaf, and all the dry spices. Stir to combine and cook for a few minutes to infuse the spices. Add the tomatoes, ancho chile, reserved shiitake soaking liquid, and drip coffee. Bring the pot to a simmer, cover, and cook for 1.5 hours. Stir occasionally to prevent the bottom from scorching.
After 1.5 hours, the tomatoes should have cooked down, ancho chile melted into the sauce, and the chili should have thickened. Stir in the kidney beans and continue to cook for an additional 30 minutes.
Remove the pot from the heat and add the smoked mushroom garum and chocolate. Stir until the chocolate is completely melted and emulsifies into the chili, about 2-3 minutes. Season with salt, if needed. Spoon the chili in your favorite bowl and garnish with cilantro, scallions, crème fraîche, jalapeño, and grated cheese to your liking.