I think it is a Chili day!

Alaska is starting to cool down and we are officially in the fall of the year. We are having intermittent rain and it is cloudier. However, we did have the best May and June that we have had in a long time so I can't complain. The previous year was good for chili all year long as it was a very cold year overall. Even the salmon fishing was not that good. This year the Red salmon fishing was OK and steady.

This chili recipe has been in the family for many years and I do not mind sharing it. My Uncle used to own a little hole in the wall cafe in Kansas City, Missouri. I was there when I was young, but I could not tell you where it was except that there was a Salvation Army or thrift store across the street and they lived up stairs. I am thankful for his recipe and it is good to know that the "bricks" are in the freezer and that I can take one out in the morning to thaw in the fridge and have chili for supper. It is good for chili dogs and chili burgers just the way it is. You can make it hotter by just adding some cayenne pepper. Serve chili over brown rice or without. Also serve with crackers, grated cheddar cheese and chopped onion. I have tasted commercial chili bricks and this is worlds apart better than those. So if you have ever tried a commercial brand chili brick and didn't like it do not be afraid to try this recipe because you will make it year after year after that!

Ralph's (my uncle) Chili Bricks Circa 1930

10 pounds "regular" ground beef
8 large onions chopped finely
12 large cloves of garlic minced
1 rounded cooking spoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
10 rounded cooking spoons chili powder
1 rounded cooking spoon ground cumin

Cook meat garlic and onions until done use no water, will form quite a lot of juice, but do not ladle off. When this is done add paprika,chili powder and cumin. Stir well and often while cooking about 15 minutes longer over very low heat. If desired add 1 large can of tomato puree and stir often as this mixture burns very easily. When done pour the mixture into Saran Wrap lined loaf pans and freeze. Depending on how much money I have when I decide to make the bricks I sometimes double the recipe.

When you want to have chili that the brick and add a can or two of red beans, pinto beans or kidney beans to each block when you fix to eat. This is delicious chili! I also like to add a can of those Mexican Stewed Tomatoes when I add the can of beans.

Note: a cooking spoon is a large spoon used to stir food in pots. The slotted spoon and the stirring/cooking spoon are about the same size so you add the chili powder, cumin and paprika using this spoon.

Regular ground beef is the one with the most fat content. However you may make it with lean burger it just won't be as tasty. Another trick to get rid of the fat is to chill the child brick mixture and the fat will go to the top of the pot and you can then break it off because it will be solid and toss it in the garbage, not the sink or it will clog up the plumbing!

After a beautiful day of fishing on the Kenai River in Sterling Alaska and catching our limit for Sockeye (Red) Salmon I decided to try my hand at making a Quiche with Polenta Crust. A bunch of us girls from the camp ground had gone out to various garage sales and we stopped for lunch at a place in Kenai Called Veronica's. It was a wonderful lunch and many of us ordered their famous quiche that always has a polenta crust. A lady friend told me about the dish so I was happy to go try it out as I was curious about how the crust was made. The server had actually made the quiche we were eating and I spoke to her to try to see if my interpretation of how it was made was accurate. She happily told us how it was made and I was basically right except she said she used quick cooking polenta and for the liquid she used chicken stock or broth. So I could not wait to try it with some of my own smoked salmon and I was not disappointed and neither was my family! They called it a "10", meaning very good, and want me to make it often. So basically you can put on top of the polenta any kind of quiche mixture you want and do not have to fuss with pie crusts that can end up being soggy.

Today’s blue place special is: Smoked Salmon Polenta Quiche

Polenta:
6 cups chicken broth or stock
1 teaspoon sea salt
2.5 cups polenta (I used Bob’s Red Mill corn grits-polenta it is a coarse grain)
The zest of one lemon
1 teaspoon of coarse ground pepper
1 teaspoon dried oregano (optional if you don’t want the lemon pepper flavor)
1 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary (optional if you don’t want the lemon pepper flavor)
Or use the herb that best matches the proteins you are using. The original Polenta with the Rosemary is delicious with a veggie polenta Quiche.

Quiche filling:
2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (EVOO as Rachael Ray would say)
1 green pepper julienned and then cut into 1 inch strips
1 red pepper julienned and then cut into 1 inch strips
1 small zucchini julienned and then cut into 1 inch strips
1 medium onion diced to ¼ inch
1 pint jar of smoked salmon
6 eggs whisked
4 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
The zest of one lemon
A sprinkling of garlic powder
A sprinkling of dill

To make the polenta:
To make the polenta:

In a deep medium heavy pot, bring the water to a boil and add the salt. Gradually whisk in the polenta. Reduce heat to low, add the lemon zest and pepper or if desired switch to either oregano or rosemary, and whisk for 5 minutes. Cook the polenta for another 10 minutes, or until it pulls away from the sides of the pot. Pour the polenta into an 8-inch square baking dish and smooth the top. It should be ¾ to 1 inch think from the bottom of the pan. Cover the top of the polenta with clear saran wrap and let cool.

To make the filling:

Lightly sauté (sweat) the veggies and add the lemon ring and then set aside to cool.

In a large mixing bowl wish the eggs and add the shredded sharp cheddar cheese. Sprinkle in the dill and a little garlic powder.

Break up the smoked salmon into chunks and set aside.

Pull off the saran wrap from the polenta and pour half the egg mixture on top of the polenta. Spread the smoked salmon chunks over the egg mixture and then pour the rest of the egg mixture over the top of the salmon layer.

Bake at 400 degrees for about 40 to 50 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean from the center of the quiche. Let cool for about 15 minutes while you prepare any other item you want to serve with the quiche. I small salad would be nice as the quiche is very delicious and filling!

There are as many variations of this dish as you can conjure up: Such as Italian Sausage Quiche, Enchilada Quiche, veggie quiche, crab or shrimp quiche, or use regular canned salmon instead of smoked salmon, etc.
This will serve 8 people and can be served with a nice salad of choice and some rustic bread and if you’d like some nice white wine of your choic