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No, you haven't clicked on Rotten Tomatoes by mistake. It occurred to me after the Academy Award nominations came out that food played a role in a number of the films up for awards. I thought it would be fun to do a series of posts on foods that related to the five Best Picture, Best Actor, and Best Actress awards. Some references are overt, some are obtuse, and some are grasping at straws. The idea is to roll with it and have a good time.
So throw a pot luck Oscar night party and get everyone to bring something that reflects the theme of a film or a character, if not an outright reference. Tell them that there's no cheating and buying pre-made. Do it the Planet Green way and have them make it themselves (well maybe not the blue slushy). I'll be providing recipes all this week that you can make or pass on to your friends to whip up to bring along.
Spoiler Alert: There will be meat.
I'm starting today with the film that I would like to see get the Best Picture nod; No Country For Old Men. I'm a huge fan of both Cormac McCarthy and the Coen Brothers. No question, it is brutal and violent and it isn't a film for everyone, but it is masterfully made. Personally, I think Josh Brolin (pictured above) should have received a nomination, instead of a really mediocre Johnny Depp in Sweeney Todd. More about that later.
Go crazy! Tell me what you think about the nominees as we work our way through the week. I'm on my way to see Atonement today. I haven't seen In the Valley of Elah or The Savages, and I don't know if I'll get to those this week, so any comments you have about those are welcome too.
We just have to have a Tex-Mex recipe for this film. There is meat in this recipe but if you want vegetarian options you could try Vegetarian Chili or Burritos.
I didn't use jalapeño chilies because I had some dried pasado chilies from Mexico that my son gave me. I soaked them in warm water for 20 minutes and put both the chilies and the water into the pot. It gave the chili a wonderful smoky taste.
Spicy Beef and Red Bean Chili
Serves 8
1/2 lb bacon
4 lbs boneless beef chuck, cut into 1-inch cubes
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 large white onion, chopped
1-2 jalapeño chilies, chopped
4 large garlic cloves, minced
2 tsp dried oregano
1/4 cup chili powder
1 tbsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp cayenne
2 cups beef broth
1 cup brewed coffee
1 cup water
1 28 oz can of crushed tomatoes in puree
1 oz good bittersweet chocolate, chopped
2 19 oz cans small red beans or kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1. Cook bacon in 6-8 quart heavy pot over moderate heat, turning occasionally, until crisp. Transfer to paper towels to drain, then crumble when cool. Pour off all but 2 tbsp of fat from the pot.
2. Pat beef dry and season with salt and pepper. Add oil to the pot and heat over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking. Working in batches, brown beef, without crowding, about 5 minutes per batch. Transfer with a slotted spoon to a plate.
3. Add onion and chilies to the pot, reduce heat to moderate and cook, stirring and scraping up brown bits, until softened. Add garlic, oregano, chili powder, cumin and cayenne and cook, stirring for 1 minute.
4. Return beef to pot, with any juices accumulated on the plate and add broth, coffee, water and tomatoes. Simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, for 1 hour. Partially cover pot and continue to simmer until beef is very tender, 1 1/2 to 2 hours more.
5. Stir in chocolate and beans until heated through. Ladle chili into bowls and top with crumbled bacon.
You can serve this with grated cheese, sour cream, cilantro, avocado, corn chips, or onions Put them in bowls and let your guests choose themselves.
Chili is always great the next day, so you can make this ahead of time and enjoy the awards without having to cook.
Beverage of choice: Agua
This recipe is from The Gourmet Cookbook by Ruth Reichl (ed.) (2004, Houghton, Mifflin)
Difficulty Level: Easy
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