Projo Football Food & Spirits

Monday Night Football with the Pats and the Bengals makes me think of one thing - Cincinnati chili. This style of chili always has lots of spices and chocolate as part of the mix.

But it's the way it is served when things get interesting. Every time you add an ingredient, the style changes. Two-way chili is served on spaghetti. Three-way is additionally topped with Cheddar cheese. Four-way is additionally topped with chopped onions while five-way chili is additionally topped with kidney beans.

Michael Iannotti is a New England Patriots tailgater extraordinaire, and a while ago he shared his recipe for Cincinnati Chili that he makes when the Pats play the Bengels and he's serving.

CINCINNATI CHILI
1 large onion, chopped
1 pound extra-lean ground beef
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground allspice
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa or 1/2 ounce unsweetened chocolate, grated
1 15-ounce can tomato sauce
1 tablespoon Worcestershire
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
1/2 cup water
1 1/2 pounds linguine
In a large frying pan over medium-high heat, saute onion, ground beef, garlic, and chili powder until ground beef is slightly cooked. Add allspice, cinnamon, cumin, cayenne pepper, salt, unsweetened cocoa or chocolate, tomato sauce, Worcestershire sauce, cider vinegar, and water. Reduce heat to low and simmer, uncovered, 1 1/2 hours. Remove from heat.
Cook pasta according to directions. Put linguine on individual plates and top with chili.
Serves 6-8.

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