2 tb Vegetable oil
2 c Yellow onions, chopped
Salt
Cayenne
2 lb Ground beef
1 tb Chili powder
2 ts Ground cumin
Crushed red pepper
2 ts Dried oregano leaves
2 tb Garlic, chopped
3 c Tomatoes; peeled, seeded
-chopped, fresh or canned
2 tb Tomato paste
3 c Beef broth
2 tb Masa harina flour
Vegetable oil; to deep fry
2 lg Idaho potatoes
1/2 lb Cheddar cheese, grated
1/2 lb Monterey jack cheese, grated
1 c Sour cream
1/2 c Sliced pickled jalapenos
Heat the vegetable oil in a large saute pan over medium heat. Add
the onions, season with salt and cayenne, and cook, stirring,
until they begin to wilt, about 2 minutes. Add the beef, chili
powder, cumin, crushed red pepper, and oregano, season with salt
and cayenne, and cook until all the pink in the meat disappears, 5
to 6 minutes. Add the garlic, tomatoes, tomato paste and 2 1/2
cups beef stock, bring to boil, and reduce the heat to medium-low.
Simmer, uncovered, until the meat is tender, about 1 hour,
stirring occasionally. Skim off any fat that rises to the
surface. Combine the masa harina flour with the remaining 1/2 cup
stock and mix to blend. Slowly add to the pot, stirring to blend.
The mixture will thicken. Cook for 30 minutes, then season again
with salt and cayenne. It should be thick enough to coat the back
of a spoon.
The potatoes should be peeled and cut into shoestrings, rinsed in
cool water and patted dry. In a heavy, deep pot or an electric
fryer, heat 4 inches of vegetable oil to 360 F. Fry the
shoestring potatoes in batches until golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes
per batch. Drain on paper towels, then season with salt and
cayenne.
Preheat the oven to 400 F. Cover the bottom of a large, glass
rectangular baking pan with the shoestring potatoes. Combine the
Cheddar and Jack cheeses. Sprinkle the cheese over the fries.
Bake just until the cheese melts, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove the pan
from the oven and spoon the chili over the top of the fries.
Garnish with the sour cream and jalapenos. Serve immediately.
