baby it's cold outside

Those of you who live closer to the equator than we do must have an interesting impression of what we go through every winter here in Montreal. Although those cliché ideas of igloos and head-to-toe snow gear may get old, it isn't too far from the truth, especially this winter. We've had tons of snow, plenty of -25 degree days and barely any days of sunshine, but we never fail to find a way to stay warm.

Tonight, we enjoyed some spicy, hot chili, courtesy of my lovely wife. Dina's chili is made with ground beef and a tomato base, but without the beans you typically find in chili con carne.

Dina-style chili

1 large onion, chopped
1/4 cup vegetable oil
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 pounds medium ground beef
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp hot paprika
1 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp dried hot red pepper flakes
two large cans ground tomatoes
1/2 cup beef broth

In a large pot, cook the onions in the oil over moderately low heat, stirring occasionally, until they are softened. Add the garlic and cook the mixture, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the ground meat and cook it over moderate heat, stirring and breaking up any lumps, for 10 minutes, or until it is no longer pink. Add the chili powder, cumin, paprika, oregano, and pepper flakes and cook the mixture, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the tomatoes and broth, bringing the mixture to a boil. Simmer, covered, stirring occasionally, for 1 hour, or until the meat is tender. Add salt and black pepper to taste.

We topped it all off with grated cheddar cheese, diced shallots, sour cream and chopped parsley. A combination that made the winter just a little more tolerable.