Romana`s Spanish-American Cookery Chili (1929)

2 pounds lean beef

1/4 pound beef fat

12 large red chile peppers -- or to taste

2 tablespoons chile powder

1 tablespoon paprika

2 cloves garlic -- minced

2 teaspoons Fresh oregano -- chopped

1/2 cup olive oil

1 cup onion -- minced

beef stock -- as needed salt and pepper -- to taste

This California-based cookbook, edited and "modernized" in 1929 by Pauline Wile -Kleeman, has three chili recipes. The one labeled "Texas style" contains onion s, beans and tomatoes, plus a whole cup of extra fat, half suet and half lard! The "California" version is also made with beans, but without tomatoes or onion s. The first, and best recipe has none of these things.

Chile con Carne without Beans

Remove the seeds and veins from the chile peppers, place in sufficient hot wate r to cover, bring to boiling point, and cool in the water, drain and remove the pulp with a spoon. Cut the meat and suet in 3/4 inch cubes, heat the oil and f ry the meat and suet to a light brown, then add onions and garlic and continue to cook, stirring continuously; before the onions start to brown add chile pulp , paprika, stir a few minutes, then add oregano, salt and pepper and sufficient stock to finish cooking till the meat is tender. Serve with beans or Spanish r ice.

Busted by Christopher E. Eaves <[email protected]>