It's Gettin' "Chili" Outside!

Hello again friends! Welcome back to the Chef's Corner!

We had a great weekend at Jimmy V's Osteria + Bar this weekend. My Sous Chef, Mike Teasley and I participated in the 'Chefs for a Cure' for the Raleigh Roundup Bourbon & Bubbles Event on Saturday, hosted by Red Sword Guild at the Marbles Kids Museum. It was a great event, and I was very honored to represent Jimmy V's Osteria + Bar and to be a part of such a great cause for the American Cancer Society in their fight against cancer. For more information, you can visit the event's web page: 2013 Raleigh Roundup

Our dish was a Heritage Farms Smoked Pork Tenderloin with cider bourbon glaze, pickled mustard seed caviar, served with a white chocolate and apple celery root puree, with olive oil powder. Here are some photos of the event!

Now on to my recipe for this week!.... As I said in my last blog post, Fall is definitely my favorite time of year. I think it's because I love everything that Fall brings: football, tailgating, bonfires, holidays, and most importantly, a chance to spend time with family and friends. Don't get me wrong, I love Summer too! All of my friends know I can't get enough barbecuing on my grill and hitting the beach on weekends with my family. But, there's something about this time of year that brings a level of excitement, especially when it comes to food! One of my all-time favorite fall dishes is chili. What better way to warm up on a "chilly" Sunday afternoon, than watching your favorite football teams play, and enjoying a hearty bowl of homemade chili! It's easy, uses simple ingredients and makes for great leftovers! So without further ado, here is my favorite homemade Chili recipe!

Ingredients: 
3 Tbls Chopped Garlic

1 Yellow Onion (diced)

2 Green Peppers (diced)

2 Red Peppers (diced)

4 Jalapeno’s (diced, seeds removed)

2 Cans Peeled Tomatoes

1 Can Crushed Tomatoes

1 Can Tomato Sauce

3 Tbls Chipotle Puree

1 Cup Tomato Paste

2 Tbls Cumin

2 Tbls Dark Chili Powder

3lbs.  Ground Chuck (80/20)

2 Cup Shredded Cheddar Cheese

1 Cup Sour Cream

1 Cup Scallions (chopped)

Salt and Pepper

In a mixing bowl combine beef, cumin, chili powder, 1 tablespoon of salt and pepper, chipotle puree, and mix well.  In a large pot sauté the onions, garlic, peppers, until soft.  Add ground beef to the pot, cook until beef is thoroughly cooked.  Add remaining chipotle puree, tomato sauce, peeled tomatoes, and crushed tomatoes.  Bring to a boil then reduce heat to low and let simmer for 1 hour.  Season with salt and pepper, add tomato paste 1 teaspoon at a time to reach your desired thickness. Ladle out any grease that may have come to the top. Garnish your chili with a scoop of sour cream, shredded cheddar, and scallions.

Enjoy!

Lobster Pumpkin Bisque

Hello again friends! Thanks for stopping by the Chef's Corner! 

We are gearing up for the fall season here at Jimmy V's Osteria + Bar! Fall is definitely my favorite time of year. The changing of the seasons means a transition to use new ingredients in my dishes! I love going to the local farmers markets here in Raleigh to see what new seasonal ingredients I can incorporate into my menu. It's the best part about being a Chef, there is always something new to try to really get my creative juices flowing.  And what ingredient does everyone think of when autumn rolls around? Pumpkins! I've been exploring several pumpkin recipes at home, and my latest creation is my Pumpkin Lobster Bisque! I've made several variations of this dish, using squash and crab meat as substitutes, but I've found that pumpkin and lobster are a really great compliment to one another. It's a great dish to warm up to as we slowly make our way into colder weather!

Lobster Pumpkin Bisque

• 4 Cups heavy cream
• 1 Large white onion (chopped)
• 2 Large carrots (chopped) 
• 2 lb. peeled pumpkin (chopped)
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 cup dry sherry
• 2 Whole Live Lobsters
• Salt and Pepper to taste

Cook the lobsters in boiling water for 8-10 minutes (8 minutes per pound). Pull lobsters out and chill, reserving the liquid (you will be using this later).  Once the lobsters are cool, crack the claws and tail, remove the meat and set aside (keep claw meat whole for garnish).  In another pot, sauté onion and carrots until soft then pour in sherry to deglaze the pan.  Add half the lobster cooking liquid, reserved from before to the pot along with the pumpkin and bring to a simmer for 20 minutes or until pumpkin is tender.  Add cream and return to a simmer for an additional 10 minutes.  Pour soup into a blender, blend until you have a smooth consistency.  Return to the pot and add tomato paste, one tablespoon at a time until you've reach your desired thickness, season with salt and pepper.  Put the cut lobster meat in the bottom of a bowl, ladle soup over and float 1 claw on top as garnish.

Enjoy!!