from the kitchen of Josh Salon

Josh's Award-Winning Chili

This took the top prize at our first Chili Cooking Contest in 2018. Our fire-fighting judges couldn't get enough.

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From the market:
Grass-fed short rib*
Grass-fed ground sirloin*

Slab bacon

Fire roasted tomatoes*

White onion*
Garlic*

Scallions*

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In Your Pantry or fridge:
Captain Lawrence Freshchester Pale Ale (2 bottles for Chili and 2 bottles to drink while making Chili)

Fire roasted poblanos & bell peppers*

Ancho chili (keep dried, don’t need to reconstitute)
Red kidney beans*
Liquid smoke
Brown sugar*

Tomato paste*
Low sodium beef stock*
Cayenne*
Cumin*
Coriander*
Smoked paprika*
Chili powder*

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1. Brown the short rib (boneless or with bones if you want to fish them out at the end), ground beef and bacon in different pans.  Set meat aside, keeping oil/fat.

2. Dump grease from bacon and ground beef in with left over grease from short rib, and use to cook veggies.

3. Add red and yellow bell peppers and white onion to pan and brown for 5 minutes.  Add garlic ( a lot of garlic, not too finely chopped) and cook an additional 2 minutes.

4. Add dry spices and tomato paste, cook 2 more minutes while stirring.

5. Put ground beef and short rib back in the pot, along with fire roasted pablanos and fire roasted tomatoes, beans, (I used canned), liquid smoke, beer and stock.

6. Simmer in covered cast iron pot for +- 4 hours.  Remove lid for last 30 minutes to thicken.

7. Add in bacon and more chili powder and smoked paprika before serving.

Toppings:
Fritos
Sour Cream
Scallions*
Pickled Jalapenos (optional)
 
*Organic

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recipe from kingarthurflour.com

Blue Ribbon Caramel Apple Pie

This is the pie recipe that won Nancy Silver first place in last year's apple pie contest. The judges loved it. She got the recipe from the King Arthur Flour website by way of Anita Newell of New Hampshire. Nancy added a little bourbon to the caramel sauce and of course used apples from the farmers market.

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From the market:

Apples

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Crust

• 2 1/2 cups King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 1 cup (16 tablespoons) cold unsalted butter

• 1/2 cup ice water

 

Filling

• 1 cup sugar

• 1/4 cup King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour

• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

• 2 pounds whole apples, to yield 1 1/2 pounds peeled, cored, and sliced apples; about 6 cups

•  1/2 cup caramel apple dip, caramel sauce, or melted caramel, divided

• 2 tablespoons milk or cream

 

Topping

• 1 cup King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour

• 1/2 cup brown sugar

• 1/2 cup cold unsalted butter

Instructions
Preheat the oven to 375°F.
To make the crust: Combine the flour and salt. Work in the butter to make an unevenly crumbly mixture. Add enough of the water to bring the dough together.
Divide the dough in half, shape each half into a disk, wrap well, and refrigerate for 1 hour.
To make the filling: Combine the sugar, flour, and cinnamon. Stir in the apples.
Combine 2 tablespoons caramel with the milk or cream. Toss with the apples.
To make the streusel: Combine the flour and sugar. Work in the butter until crumbly.
To assemble the pie: Roll one piece of dough into a 12" round, and lay it into a 9" pie pan.
Spoon in the filling; sprinkle with the topping.
Roll the second piece of dough into a circle slightly larger than the top of your pie pan. Cut 3/4"-wide strips, and weave a lattice crust. Seal and crimp the edges.
Bake the pie for 45 to 55 minutes, until golden brown. Remove it from the oven, and cool it for 15 minutes.
Drizzle the pie with the remaining caramel, warming it slightly if necessary top make it "drizzlable."
Cool the pie for at least 2 hours before serving.