For many years, I’ve supported fundraisers as a guest chef for charity events. I’ve cooked fancy multi-course dinners, contributed to elaborate hors-d’oeuvres parties and been the pastry chef when dessert is needed. One of my favorites is the Chili Cook Off for the Autism Society of Greater Cleveland not only because it’s an organization that my family has supports, but it’s also a chance for me to bring the heat and be aggressive with spices.
Subtle Additions
Liberal use of spices scares off many people who fear it makes a dish too hot and spicy, but not all spices add heat. Many common spices add complexity and great but subtle flavor, like using onion, garlic and paprika in a beef chili. Other spices not only add flavor but also incredible aroma, like a little dash of cumin will do in the same pot of chili. Cumin is great with chicken as well, it’s used in many Southwestern-style recipes. If you are a fan of the Southwestern region or “TexMex” foods, cumin might be the secret ingredient that keeps pulling you in.
Cumin is a rather common spice widely available everywhere, and it’s used in a historic dish called Shakshouka that’s fun to say and is showing up on many popular restaurant brunch menus. Shakshouka is a dish of eggs poached in a spiced tomato sauce that usually is flavored with cumin, paprika and cayenne, similar to a Mediterranean version of huevos rancheros.
As it is, Shakshouka is a great dish that’s full of flavor, but you can add other things to make it even more appealing. When it comes out of the oven, you can garnish it with avocado, cilantro, olives, feta cheese or roasted red peppers. I’ve even swapped the eggs for salmon; not sure if it still counts as “Shakshouka,” but it was delicious nonetheless and the kitchen smelled great.
Harissa, Anyone?
Another flavor profile getting a lot of attention is Harissa, a blend of spices that also hails from the North African-Mediterranean part of the world and is becoming a popular condiment. It’s deeply fragrant and often spicy, but if you make your own you can control that. Harissa is often made with hot chili peppers (but you can use mild or sweet peppers if you don’t like the heat), fresh garlic, olive oil and dried spices like cumin and coriander. Harissa can be used on everything- a marinade for shrimp and vegetables, a flavorful sauce for grilled chicken or can even mix it with some plain greek yogurt and serve as a dip for raw vegetables. It’s a healthy way to add an exotic flavor to everyday ingredients.
Every year, the Autism Society of Greater Cleveland Chili Cook-Off competition brings more than 30 professional and amateur chefs together to flex their cooking skills and raise money for a great local organization. I’ve participated for more than a decade and every year I try to bring something exciting and unexpected. This year I’m hoping Shakshouka of Roasted Tomato & Eggplant Chili takes home the victory. The Cook Off is April 22 at the Holiday Inn on Rockside Road in Independence. Learn more at asgc.org/chilicookoff.
