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Smoky Chili Soup

Smoky Chili Soup with a Splash of Fresh Lime



Inspired by Faye at An Edible Mosaic who was inspired by Cooking Light's recipe for Smoky Slow Cooker Chili from the January 2009 issue. Certainly, I have also made it my own.
Course Soup
Cuisine Canadian
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 2 hours 30 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 50 minutes
Servings 8 hardy servings
Author Valerie Lugonja

Ingredients

Ingredients for the Day Prior

  • 3 cups or 500 grams Barlotti beans , reconstituted and prepared for use (800 grams)
  • 2 kilo fresh small tomatoillo , oven roasted and pureed (1200 grams) OR 2 large can (28 oz) or 1200-1500 grams tomatillos
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

Ingredients for Soup

  • 2 tablespoons or 30 grams olive oil x 3
  • 1/2 pound or 250 grams bacon , sliced into lardons
  • 1 pound or 500 grams know-your-farmer ground beef
  • 1.5 pound or 750 grams flank or round steak , trimmed of fat and cubed into 1-inch pieces, seasoned
  • 1/2 cup flour
  • 2 bottles or cans of Guiness
  • 2 cups or 2 medium-large onions , diced
  • 8 large cloves or 20 grams garlic , minced
  • 2 tablespoons or 30 grams Ancho chili powder
  • 1 tablespoon or 15 grams sweet high quality Paprika (Hungarian or Serbian)
  • 2 tablespoons or 30 grams Smoked Spanish Paprika
  • 2 teaspoons Vegeta
  • 1/2 teaspoon Chipotle Pepper
  • 1 tablespoon cumin seeds
  • 1 tablespoon dried oregano
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 2-4 bay leaves
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 1 small can or 6 ounces or 156 grams tomato paste
  • 1/4 cup or 60 grams Worcestershire Sauce
  • 2 large cans (28 oz) or 1500 grams diced tomatoes (with juices)
  • 1 large can (28 oz) or 750 grams water
  • 2 medium green peppers , diced
  • 1 Anaheim pepper , chopped
  • Extra salt and freshly ground pepper to season throughout process

Ingredients for Garnish

  • Homemade yogurt or yogurt cheese
  • Fresh scallions , thinly sliced
  • Fresh lime wedges: makes the chili sparkle!

Instructions

Advance Preparations: Barlotti Beans

  1. Soak beans overnight, strain and rinse; bring to boil and simmer 2-3 hours until tender
  2. Cool and set aside

Advance Preparations: Tomatillos

  1. Pre-heat oven to 450F on roast
  2. Peel, wash and halve 2 kilos tomatillos; place on parchment covered baking sheet, cut side up
  3. Bake for 30 minutes until soft and caramelized; cool
  4. Puree with the 1/2 teaspoon salt and set aside

Instructions for Soup

  1. In 5-quart heavy pot with lid, heat oil over medium-high heat; add lardons and sauté until crispy (about 5 minutes)
  2. Remove and set aside with slotted spoon
  3. To same pot, add ground beef seasoned with 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon salt and freshly ground black pepper and cook until browned; remove and set aside with slotted spoon;
  4. Flour cubed seasoned beef with 1/2 cup flour and 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon salt with freshly ground black pepper; add to pan browning all sides (about 2 minutes per side) in two batches
  5. Add second amount of oil to second batch; repeat process
  6. De-glaze pan with two bottles of Guinness, gently scraping bottom of pan until all flavour bits are freed from bottom of pot; reduce to half (20-30 minutes on simmer) and then add to meat mixture
  7. Add another 2 tablespoons of oil to the pan and sauté onions seasoned with 1/2 the Vegeta and freshly ground black pepper until translucent (about 5 minutes); add garlic stirring for 30 seconds, then add both chili powders (Ancho and Chipotle), both paprikas (Hungarian and Spanish), cumin seeds, and oregano toasting all for about one minute, or until fragrant
  8. Add bay leaves, sugar, tomato paste, and Worcestershire sauce; stir to incorporate
  9. Add meat mixture back to pot; stirring to combine
  10. Add one can of diced tomatoes, all tomatillos and 1 can of water (or however much will fit in the pot and set rest beside to top off soup as mixture boils down)
  11. Add another teaspoon of Vegeta; bring to a boil, cover pot, and simmer 45 minutes, stirring occasionally
  12. Add both green peppers, cover pot; cook another 30 minutes, stirring occasionally
  13. Add beans during the last 5 minutes of cooking; taste and season with salt and pepper

Garnish and Serve

  1. Serve garnished with yogurt, thinly sliced scallions, and lime wedges to squeeze on top with a crusty artisan bread on the side