Chili time: Chef shares recipes for fall's signature dish

It's the time of year when there's nothing more appetizing than a bowl of homemade chili.

Deborah Anziano, owner of Debo's Kitchen, a meal delivery business (deboskitchen.com), is something of a chili connoisseur.

From 2001 to 2008, she and her husband, David Anziano, owned and operated Anziano's Deli in downtown Chattanooga.

"It was like our own little 'Cheers' setting with repeat customers for breakfast and lunch every morning," she said. "Many of my soups were in a steady rotation there. I had an ongoing list of customers to call when I made their favorite soup."

Now, Anziano develops new recipes in a commercial kitchen and delivers meals to customers locally and nationally who place orders through her weekly newsletter. Among her favorite recipes are variations of chili.

A graduate of the Memphis Culinary Academy, she said she concentrated on learning classic soups, which include chili.

Chili is the perfect meal to freeze, she said.

"I actually did that before I left home for a recent business trip so the family would have something quick and easy to pull out and have for dinner while I was away," Anziano said. "It freezes great and is even better after it is thawed than it was the first go around."

Anziano suggests an interesting side dish for chili lovers.

"When my dad was in grade school, he says they always served peanut butter to go with chili and soup at school," she said. "Don't knock it until you try it. It is really good."

She also serves cornbread.

"My dad has agreed to share his family secret recipe for his Mexican cornbread, which is always around with soup and chili at home."

Debo's White Bean & Pork Chili With Black-Eyed Peas

3 large onions, diced

Olive oil

Butter

3 pounds of pork loin, cut into large cubes

1 head of garlic, peeled and diced

2 poblano peppers, diced

1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced

1/4 cup chili powder

1 tablespoon ground cumin

Salt and pepper, to taste

2 (16-ounce) cans black-eyed peas

2 (16-ounce) cans navy beans

1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes

1-2 quarts chicken stock

2 quarts water

Sauté onions in an olive oil and butter mixture over medium heat until golden brown. Add pork, garlic, peppers and seasonings, and sauté for about 10 more minutes. Add remaining ingredients, and simmer over low heat for 1 hour.

Debo's Beef & Three Bean Chili

4 large onions, diced

Olive oil

Butter

2 pounds ground beef

1 head garlic, peeled and diced

3/4 cup chili powder

2 tablespoons cumin

1 (16-ounce) can each of kidney beans, pinto beans and black beans

1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes

1-2 quarts of water

Salt and pepper, to taste

Optional hot sauce of your choice

Sauté onions in butter/olive oil mixture over medium heat until golden brown. Add beef and garlic, and cook until beef is thoroughly cooked. Add the rest of the ingredients, and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low, and simmer at least one hour.

Debo's Robust Vegan Chili

3 large onions, diced

Olive oil

8 carrots, sliced

1 red bell pepper

3 poblano peppers

1 head of garlic, peeled and diced

8 sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed

1 large butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cubed

1/4 cup chili powder

1 tablespoon ground cumin

1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes

1 (16-ounce) can each of pinto beans, navy beans and black beans

1 quart vegetable stock

2 quarts water

1/2 cup cilantro, chopped

Salt and pepper, to taste

Sauté onion in olive oil over medium heat until golden brown. Add carrots, bell pepper, poblano peppers and garlic, and continue to sauté, about 10 minutes. Add remaining ingredients, and bring to a boil. Then turn heat to low, and simmer for an hour.

Poppit's Mexican Cornbread

3 eggs, lightly beaten

1/4 cup milk

1/3 cup cooking oil

1 cup whole kernel corn, drained

1 cup cream-style corn

1 medium onion, chopped

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1 cup self-rising cornmeal

Jalapenos, to taste

Heat oven to 400 F. Generously grease a cast-iron skillet and place in oven. While skillet is heating, about 20 minutes, mix all ingredients together. Pour in hot skillet. (You want the oiled skillet to sizzle when you pour your batter in.) Bakes 20 to 30 minutes or until browned.

Contact Karen Nazor Hill at khill@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6396. Follow her on Twitter at twitter.com/karennazor hill. Subscribe to her posts on Facebook at www.facebook.com/karen nazorhill.

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