Trying to find that secret ingredient in Chili

[baymule]

in Mexican food they use chocolate for things like mole. I wonder if it would be a good fit for chili.

Sitting here fat and full--just finished a meal of chicken mole over rice and a salad, followed by vanilla egg custard. And lots of sweet tea!

I use fennel seed in my chili and it is yummy. Most of the time, nobody can identify what that taste is.......but they scarf it up......made some last week with frozen Cherokee Purple tomatoes......and ladled it over fritos.

 

[digitS']

Fennel seed, Bay!

Affirmation! No, I couldn't find any fennel seed with the spices for my Jacob Cattle beans - had it with chicken and cilantro. Put a little too much cilantro in it so that now I'm not really sure what the JC beans tasted like . Looked like Pintos but didn't taste like 'em . . .

Weellll, I sent "Affirmation" by George Benson Cane's way a day or 2 ago. That's a Jose Feliciano song. How about this? CLICK the little dancing guy for another Jose Feliciano song:



Chili tonight, you know . . . and I've noticed that girls don't always prefer The Doors .

Steve

 

[so lucky]

Chewing a few fennel seed is recommended to reduce gas and bloating. Maybe putting it in chili would reduce the bean effect.

 

[MeggsyGardenGirl]

I think the missing ingredient might be oregano...Mexican oregano if you can get it, any oregano if you can't. My Penzey's medium hot chili powder has oregano in it and I think most commercial blends do too. I've never blended my own but I add other spices and herbs to my chili whenever/whatever I feel like at the time...cinnamon, chocolate, extra chilies, extra cumin seed, etc.

BTW, many Indian restaurants serve dried fennel seeds as a digestive and/or breath freshener. They either serve a dish with the bill or have a dish near the door next to the mints. I never thought about adding it to chili but it makes perfect sense. I always add dried fennel seeds to my red spaghetti sauce and homemade Italian sausage. It's good, IMHO.

 

[Collector]

DW, has taken a first and a second place in local chili competitions with her recipe, I dont know all the ingredients but the one mentioned at both competitions was the smoked bacon.

 

[ducks4you]

Gee, I DON'T KNOW...Maybe I HAVE some chocolate...at home...waiting to be eaten OR put into Chili?!?!?
Seriously, it's worth trying, thanks.