Chocolate in savoury dishes

[dessiato]

And this thread needs a poll.

 

[wayward bob]

I make Mole Negra using the Jamie Oliver recipe. I'm rather fortunate that I get my chocolate from friends in Mexico. It is in no way similar to the stuf in the UK, which, IMO, is far too sweet, even the 90% cocoa seems to be sweet.

given that i use tomatoes in mine (no idea how authentic or otherwise that is) and whenever i cook with tomatoes i add a little sugar, the amount of sweetness in dark chocolate is no problem. cocoa powder is the easier/cheaper version tbf.

 

[dessiato]

given that i use tomatoes in mine (no idea how authentic or otherwise that is) and whenever i cook with tomatoes i add a little sugar, the amount of sweetness in dark chocolate is no problem. cocoa powder is the easier/cheaper version tbf.

Agreed, but If I were making it with tomatoes I'd skip the sugar because of the sweetness of the chocolate compensating for this.

 

[AnnaKarpik]

Binned the chilli last night and am back in the market for good veggie chilli recipes.

 

[pogofish]

Chocolate in savoury dishes always brings me back to the haunting smell and taste of that pinnacle of 1970s, aspirational, high-dining - cod in chocolate sauce - BLECH!

 

[ViolentPanda]

Now there is nothing wrong with a little bit of very dark bitter chocolate in some Mexican dishes (could just be that it is an acquired taste and you are not used to it?) but that chilli recipe looks like a bit of a disaster to be fair, better to keep it simple. Bear in mind traditional chilli recipes contain beef, chilli, garlic, and Mexican oregano and that is pretty much it.

I often put a square of unsweetened Mexican chocolate (courtesy of Nour cash 'n' carry in Brixton) in my chilli. Darkens-up the flavour a bit.

 

[ViolentPanda]

It doesn't... it tastes bloody awful.

Only if you're using Cadburys' Dairy Milk.

 

[ViolentPanda]

I do know that the way my husband wants me to make chilli bears very little resemblance to any traditional Mexican cooking

Mine doesn't either. It's a bog-standard Southern USA chilli recipe that includes tomatoes and beans. I've had "dry" Mexican-style chillis before, and they're nice.

 

[dishevelled]

Only if you're using Cadburys' Dairy Milk.

Why would I be using CDM with pork and apples.

That's what I meant... pork and apple sauce... tastes bloody awful.

 

[ViolentPanda]

I've never understood it myself tbh, maybe it depends on how far south you are.

According to a Chilean mate (where they also eat a version of chilli!) the recipes often change to accommodate local poverty ingredients. he also reckoned that the Chilean version from his neck of the woods was eaten with potatoes (usually fried potato cakes).

 

[ViolentPanda]

Why would I be using CDM with pork and apples.

That's what I meant... pork and apple sauce... tastes bloody awful.

Depends entirely on the apples IMO. If you use dessert apples or over-sweeten your cooking apples, it's rank, as the pork is sweet anyway. Use cooking apples (Bramley for preference) and hardly sweeten them, and you have something that contrasts very nicely with roast pork.
Jars of supermarket apple sauce are not your friend!

 

[campanula]

No. Just no (although my unsophisticated northern palate might be a issue in foodie adventure fails).

 

[gentlegreen]

This thread is making me want something chilli and beany for tea.

 

[AnnaKarpik]

As I had all the ingredients for the original disaster recipe I thought I would try it again, with a little tweaking. I halved the quantities of everything except chilli and spices and left out the chocolate and it was lovely. Maybe a little too like a meaty chilli in texture and consistency, but full flavoured and plenty warm enough. Went well with a cheesy potato bake. Not much left in the way of seconds for tonight though

 

[wtfftw]

Cornbread is quite sweet. Sweet goes with beef IMO.

I had filed this thread under chilli and got Chemistry to give me links to his various recipes. But it's more about the chocolate?
Aaaaanyway
http://www.chilli-con-carne.co.uk/chilli-con-carne/chilli-seasoning.html is a good starting point and after that started adding chocolate, star anise etc. And it'll all changed again.
He's evolved to buying dried chillis (thanks ViolentPanda for that chili web shop recommendation on some other thread) and I'm looking forward to http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2010/01/the-best-chili-recipe.html


Chilli, chili, chile?

 

[pinkmonkey]

My brother bought me this chocolate sauce for chicken thing at xmas once. He likesto cook, so do I but I like simple food and he likes this bullshit. I never ate it, just the thought of it. Bleurgh.

 

[Chz]

Definitely sweet goes with it, but only a little. I like a bit of maple syrup when I make my venison chilli. Minced venison being a lot cheaper than most people think it is.

 

[hash tag]

Turning this thread on it's head how about chocolate with bacon in it?
Purely in the name of research, I found and had to try this yesterday
Bacon Bits'

 

[killer b]

not totally opposed in principle, although I wouldn't think of bacon and chocolate as complimentary flavours... What's your verdict?

 

[chilango]

Mole isn't really chilli or chocolate as we understand it. Definitely an acquired taste. I'm not a huge fan.

 

[bi0boy]

no

 

[Epona]

Turning this thread on it's head how about chocolate with bacon in it?
Purely in the name of research, I found and had to try this yesterday
Bacon Bits'

I feel like heaving tbh...

 

[oryx]

OH cooked a very decent veg chilli with chocolate in it the other night. I couldn't taste the chocolate though (maybe you're not meant to...I mean I wouldn't expect Death By Chocolate plus a few beans and peppers, but I would expect a hint of the stuff!)

 

[Epona]

OH cooked a very decent veg chilli with chocolate in it the other night. I couldn't taste the chocolate though (maybe you're not meant to...I mean I wouldn't expect Death By Chocolate plus a few beans and peppers, but I would expect a hint of the stuff!)

I've put chocolate (90+% stuff) in chilli, and no you are not supposed to be able to taste it - it is like having a good stock in that it enriches the flavour without anyone knowing it is there or being able to discern it from other ingredients.

 

[Yetman]

I made pan fried chorizo with a port and cherry sauce a while ago, added a spoonful of cocoa to the sauce and it was lovely.