Meaty Chili Spiked with Jalapeños and Cheese

Our friend Patrick Fusco perfected this low-cost recipe for a cook-off. It starts with an affordable chuck roast; toasted cumin seeds, chili powder, and jalapeño add layers of expensive tasting heat; and a smidge of chocolate is a subtle surprise. Even better? This ambitious recipe makes a huge batch—more than enough to share with friends. If you’re solo, you can always freeze leftovers once they’ve cooled.

SERVES: 6 to 8

INGREDIENTS:

• 1½ teaspoons cumin seeds (or 1 teaspoon ground cumin)
• ½ cup sour cream
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• One 1-pound beef chuck roast—fat trimmed, meat cut into 1-inch cubes
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 large yellow onion, diced
• 1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and minced
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons chili powder
• 1½ teaspoons dried oregano
• One 14-ounce can diced tomatoes, including juice
• ½ ounce dark chocolate, cut into small pieces
• 2 ounces goat cheese, crumbled
• 1½ teaspoons sugar
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1½ tablespoons hot sauce, such as Tabasco

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
2. In a small skillet, toast the cumin seeds over moderate heat until fragrant, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a mortar and pestle or spice grinder, and let cool completely. Finely grind. Skip this step if you’re using ground cumin.
3. In a small bowl, mix the sour cream and cilantro. Cover and refrigerate.
4. In a large casserole or Dutch oven fitted with a lid, add the olive oil and beef and cook over moderate heat, turning occasionally, until well browned, about 8 minutes. Add the garlic, onion, and jalapeño, and cook, stirring often, until the onion is just translucent, about 6 minutes.
5. Add the ground cumin, salt, chili powder, oregano, and tomatoes with juice, and bring to a simmer. Cover the casserole and transfer to the oven. Bake, about 2 hours, stirring occasionally, until the meat is tender when pierced with a fork.
6. Stir in the chocolate, cheese, sugar, cinnamon, and hot sauce. Simmer on the stove for 10 minutes to let the spices incorporate.
7. Serve the chili in bowls, with a dollop of cilantro sour cream on top.

TIP:

• Be careful when cutting jalapeños! Wear latex gloves to protect your hands, or else make sure not to bring your jalapeño-spiced fingers anywhere near your eyes. Even after washing your hands, you still risk stinging your eyes with the jalapeño residue several hours after you touch the pepper