Buffalo Chili

1 Lb Ground BuffaloBuffalo Chili with Maple Cornbread
3 small or 2 medium onions
2 red peppers
4 cloves garlic
1 large (28 oz) can diced tomatoes (fire roasted if you can find it.  Muir Glen makes them)
2 cans stewed tomatoes
1 bottle beer (I recommend a good dark beer)
1/2 cup maple syrup
2 cups dried beans soaked over night (I use a combination of heirloom kidney, eye of the goat, and "Christmas" lima beans)
1 Tbs (or to taste) chipoltle chili pepper
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp cloves
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 bay leaf
3 Tbs tomato paste

Heat a large dutch oven over medium high heat.  Add the buffalo meat, and cook for about five minutes.  Add garlic, onions, and peppers and cook, stirring occasionally, for about five minutes.  Add cinnamon, garlic, nutmeg, cloves, salt, pepper, and tomato paste.  cook for about a minute until you can smell the spices and the tomato paste turns brown.  Add the beer and stir to deglaze the bottom of the pan.  Add the tomatoes, beans, and bay leaf.  bring to a steady simmer.  Cover, and adjust the heat to maintain a steady simmer.  Cook for an hour.  Remove lid and allow the chili to reduce.  Cook for another hour until the beans are tender.  Serve with cheddar cheese and maple cornbread.

Recipe Notes: You can beef or turkey if you don't want to use buffalo.  If you are a vegetarian, eliminate the meat and use a soy substitute.  Make sure you use chipoltle chili powder--it adds an amazing smoky flavor to the dish.  The chili freezes beautifully.  I prefer dried beans, but you can of course use canned beans (I would use 2 26 oz cans).  Just make sure you rinse the canned beans before adding them to the chili.  For more information see, "Celebrating The Last Day of Summer."

Mushroom and Lamb Moussaka

Lamb and Mushroom Moussaka6 small or 3 medium eggplants
1 Lb ground lamb
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 Lb mushrooms chopped
1 large onion, chopped
1 26 oz can of chopped tomatoes
1 cup red wine
2 Tbs Olive Oil
1-2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp cloves
1/8 tsp nutmeg
1 Bay Leaf
1 tsp fresh thyme, chopped
4 Tbs Butter
4 Tbs Flour
2 Cups milk
1/2 cup parmesan cheese

Slice the Eggplant into 1/4 inch slices.  Place the eggplant in a colander and season each layer of slices generously with salt.  Place the colander in a sink and allow the eggplant to drain for 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.  Rinse the salt off of the eggplant and blot dry. Brush 2-3 baking trays with olive oil.  Place the eggplant onto baking trays and place into the oven.  Bake for 10 minutes, flip the slices, and then bake for an additional ten minutes.  Remove from oven and reserve.

Heat a large dutch oven over medium heat.  Add the lamb and cook until the lamb begins to release its juices.  Add garlic and onion, and cook for about five minutes until the onions begin to get translucent.  Add the mushrooms and cook for another five minutes.  Add the cinnamon, cloves, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp pepper, and nutmeg and cook for about 30 seconds until you can smell the spices.  Pour the wine into the pan and stir well, scraping the bottom of the pan.  Add the tomatoes, bay leaf, and thyme.  Bring to a simmer, but do not let the sauce boil (you may need to reduce the heat).  Simmer uncovered for 45 minutes, until the sauce is thick and flavorful.  Remove the bay leaf.  Taste and add salt and pepper if necessary.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Place a layer of eggplant into a casserole dish, followed by all of the lamb and mushroom sauce, followed by the rest of the eggplant.

Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat.  Add the flour and stir constantly until the butter/flour mixture changes color and turns the shade of caramel.  Slowly add the milk and whisk until smooth.  Cook until the mixture has the consistency of mayonnaise.  stir in the nutmeg (if desired) and parmesan cheese.  Pour Bechemel sauce over the eggplant.

Place the Moussaka in the hot oven and bake for about 45 minutes until the bechemel sauce begins to turn brown.  Remove from oven and allow to cool for 15 minutes before slicing.

Recipe Notes: Salted the eggplant is supposed to remove some of the bitterness.  I don't know if this is true; maybe I will experiment next time and skip this step.  Make sure you thoroughly rinse the eggplant.  I forgot to once and the resulting dish was way too salty.  I don't peel the eggplant--the skin has lots of nutrients and tastes delicious. I use a mixture of mushrooms from the farm market, but the sauce is so flavorful on its own that regular white mushrooms or crimini mushrooms will work fine.  The Moussaka freezes beautifully and can be reheated in the oven or the microwave.  For more thoughts on moussaka, see the blog post "Luck."

Vegetarian Option: Omit the lamb and use two pounds instead of one pound of mushrooms.  Add 2 Tbs of Olive Oil to the Dutch Oven before you add the garlic and onions.

Tomato Ragu

1 onion, copped
5 cloves garlic, minced
10 tomatoes peeled, seeded, and chopped
olive oil, salt, and pepper
1/2 cup red wine

Heat the olive oil over medium high heat in a sauce pan.  Add garlic and saute until you can smell the garlic, about 30 seconds.  Add the onion and saute until the onion is translucent.  Add the tomatoes and wine.  Bring to a simmer and then reduce heat to keep the sauce at a gentle simmer.  Reduce until the sauce is thick, about 45 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper and enjoy.

Recipe Notes: To easily peel the tomatoes, bring a large pot of water to a boil.  Core the tomatoes and using a sharp knife mark an "X" in the bottom of the tomato (this will make it easier to peel the skin off).  Prepare a large bowl of ice water.  Working in batches, place the tomatoes in the boiling water for about 30 seconds and then immediately put the tomatoes in the ice water.  This will stop the cooking and make it easier to peel the skin off of the tomatoes.  Peel off the skin and then literally squeeze the tomatoes to remove the seeds.  You can either use the tomatoes immediately or freeze them for later use.

Eggplant Stacks with Mozzarella and Tomato Ragu

They taste as delicious as they look!4 Baby Eggplants, Sliced but not pealed
Fresh Mozzarella
Grated Parmesaman
Fresh Basil
Olive Oil
1 lb dried pasta cooked in plenty of salted water
Garlic infused olive oil
1 Recipe Fresh Tomato Ragu

Heat about 1 Tbs of the Olive oil over medium high heat in a large non-stick skillet.  sprinkle the eggplant liberally with salt and pepper and cook until golden on one side, about 4 minutes, being careful not to burn the eggplant.  Flip and cook on the other side.  Work in batches until all of the eggplant is cooked.

Heat the oven to 350 degrees.  Place one piece of the eggplant on a baking sheet.  Place 1 Tbs of the tomato ragu followed by parmesan cheese, 1 basil leaf, and a thin slice of mozzarella cheese.  Place another piece of eggplant on top and continue until the stack has three layers of eggplant.  Bake in the oven for about 15 minutes until the cheese has melted.

Meanwhile, toss the cooked pasta in the infused olive oil, fresh chopped basil and plenty of parmesan cheese.  Serve the eggplant stacks over the pasta and enjoy!

Braised Swiss Chard with Stewed Tomatoes

Swiss Chard3 cloves minced Garlic
3 Tbs olive oil
1 onion, diced
2 cans stewed tomatoes
1 can kidney or canellini beans, rinsed and drained
1 bunch Swiss Chard, chopped
salt and pepper to taste

Heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and onions, and cook for about 8 minutes until onions are translucent. Add the Swiss Chard, and cook for a minute until the leaves begin to wilt. Add the tomatoes, cook for 1 minute and then reduce heat to medium. Stir in beans. Adjust heat again to maintain a simmer. Cook for an additional 10 minutes, just until the beans are heated through.