I should probably call this secret ingredient chili.
You are not going to BELIEVE what is in this chili. I mean, you might freak a little bit.
And I can’t hold it in until halfway through the post so…
It’s chocolate ice cream.
MY OTHER RECIPESSuper rich and dark and creamy chocolate ice cream. !!!!!!
It adds a depth of flavor to the chili that is just insane. It’s not chocolately or creamy or anything. It’s perfect.
And I’m not sure if I can go on making chili without chocolate ice cream.
The most important thing to note: it wasn’t MY idea. I wish I was this brilliant! I saw this in a recipe first created by Jeni Britton Bauer of Jeni’s ice cream (of course!) last fall and flipped out. It was right after I had Emilia and I had finished up all of my recipes for the year, so I didn’t end up photographing it but I was hooked. I knew that I had to share come fall of 2018 and I have been waiting like a complete lunatic.
Jeni’s recipe is more of a Cincinnati chili which isn’t my fave, so I took matter into my own hands. I like a heartier chili that definitely has beans. Pinto beans are my go-to.
I used the base of one of my favorite chilis but still used Jeni’s super dark chocolate ice cream. Next to Millie’s chocolate here in Pittsburgh, it’s the best. And I could honestly care less about chocolate ice cream! Plain chocolate ice cream just doesn’t do it for me. But this dark chocolate is SO dark. It’s super rich but not in a too-sweet-for-your-teeth way. If you try this, make sure you find a super super super dark chocolate ice cream. it’s the KEY. Grab a dark chocolate gelato if you must.
Before you flip your lid, think about it! Cocoa or some form of chocolate is an ingredient in a lot of chili. I have an old recipe right here that uses cocoa chili powder, because back in the day when I first started blogging, McCormick made a cocoa chili powder. I loved that!
Luckily we can still make our own version mixing cocoa powder and chili powder.
Or we can just add rich chocolate ice cream like a crazy person because it is divine. I figured it wasn’t THAT crazy because I add half and half to my bolognese in The Pretty Dish. So ice cream in a tomato-based recipe wasn’t far off.
This is also the recipe that I used in my chili bar on Friday, along with the roasted corn white chicken chili from The Pretty Dish. Both have been in major rotation here for a year now and we love them so much.
Oh and just in case you are still freaked: it doesn’t make your chili TASTE like chocolate. Not full blown chocolate. It still tastes like fabulous, flavorful chili and you can add all the toppings you would like.
You might want to keep the secret to yourself, though. Maybe until your friends are finished with their chili. I never even told Eddie about the ice cream in this chili and he just found out as he read this blog post. It’s the most delicious form of trickery!
Fire and Ice Chili
This fire and ice chili has a secret ingredient that makes it rich, velvety and insanely delicious. Dark chocolate ice cream is stirred in before serving and adds a crazy depth of flavor while bringing so much richness to your favorite bowl. You have to try it!
Ingredients:
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 red onion, diced
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 1 orange bell pepper, diced
- 4 garlic cloves,minced
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 1/2 pounds ground beef
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 3 tablespoons chili powder
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon cumin
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- 1 (28-ounce can) crushed tomatoes
- 1 (14 ounce) can fire roasted tomatoes
- 2 (15-ounce) cans pinto beans, drained and rinsed
- 3/4 cup dark chocolate ice cream
Directions:
Heat a large pot over medium- low heat and add the olive oil. Add in the onions, peppers and garlic along with the salt and pepper. Stir and cook for 6 to 8 minutes, until translucent. Add in the ground beef and break it apart with a wooden spoon. Increase the heat to medium and brown the beef until all the fat is rendered. I cook it a bit longer so some of that fat cooks off too.
Stir in the tomato paste, chili powder, sugar, cumin, oregano, paprika, red pepper and nutmeg until combined. Cook for 5 minutes. Add in the crushed tomatoes, fire roasted tomatoes and pinto beans. Bring the mixer to a simmer. Simmer, stirring often, for 30 to 45 minutes. Stir in the chocolate ice and simmer for another 15 minutes. Serve with your favorite toppings.
For how I set up a chili bar, see here.
All images and text ©.
Also want to build a home in the center of that avocado. Really,
