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By Root 621 0

together in no time but tastes like you had it on the stove for hours. Blooming the seasonings—cooking them briefly in the bacon fat before adding the other ingredients—intensifies their flavors. To make this chili vegetarian, substitute 3 tablespoons of olive oil for the bacon and use additional canned beans in place of the beef.

The amount of jalapeño peppers I call for produces a mild chili. Adjust to suit your tastes.

As for what to do with the other half of the beer … well, you can’t let it go to waste, right?

6 strips bacon, cut into 1-inch pieces

1½ teaspoons chili powder

2 teaspoons cumin

1 tablespoon cocoa powder

1 tablespoon smoked paprika

2 teaspoons dried oregano

1½ tablespoons packed brown sugar

1 large yellow onion, diced

2 tablespoons diced jarred jalapeño pepper slices (or more or less, to taste)

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 pounds ground beef (85 percent lean)

Half of a 12-ounce bottle amber beer

15-ounce can kidney beans, drained

28-ounce can diced tomatoes, drained

Juice of 1 lime

¼ cup loosely packed fresh cilantro, chopped

Salt and ground black pepper, to taste

Sour cream, to serve

Set a large, heavy stockpot over medium-low heat. When the pot is hot, add the bacon and fry until it renders enough fat to coat the pot.

Add the chili powder, cumin, cocoa powder, smoked paprika, oregano, and brown sugar. Cook, stirring constantly, for 3 minutes.

Add the onion, jalapeños, and garlic, then sauté for 3 minutes. Add the ground beef and sauté for another 5 minutes.

Add the beer, beans, and tomatoes. Bring the chili to a simmer, then reduce the heat to low and cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Just before serving, stir in the lime juice and cilantro. Season with salt and pepper, then serve with sour cream.

HOW LONG? 35 MINUTES (20 MINUTES ACTIVE)

HOW MUCH? 6 SERVINGS

Broiled Chilled Gazpacho

Broiling may seem an odd step in making a chilled soup, but it deepens the flavors by caramelizing the sugars in the vegetables. Cooking the vegetables also eliminates that raw taste that puts some people off gazpacho.

1 large red onion, quartered

15 pitted green olives

15 pitted Kalamata olives

4 large tomatoes, cored and quartered

15-ounce can corn kernels, drained

4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided

1 cup tomato juice

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 clove garlic

¼ cup lightly packed fresh cilantro leaves and thin stems, plus additional for garnish

Salt and ground black pepper, to taste

Crème fraîche, for serving (optional)

Position a rack in the middle of the oven and heat it to broil.

On a rimmed baking sheet, combine the onion, both olive varieties, tomatoes, and corn. Add 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, then toss to coat. Broil for 20 minutes, or until lightly browned in spots. Let cool slightly.

In a blender, combine the tomato juice, remaining olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, and cilantro. Puree until nearly smooth. Add the broiled vegetables except for about half of the corn kernels and olives. Pulse until chunky smooth.

Transfer the soup to a large bowl. Roughly chop the remaining olives, then stir those and the remaining corn kernels into the soup. Cover and refrigerate until chilled, 1 to 2 hours.

When ready to serve, season with salt and pepper. Garnish with cilantro and, if desired, a dollop of crème fraîche.

HOW LONG? 2½ HOURS (30 MINUTES ACTIVE)

HOW MUCH? 4 SERVINGS

No-Pain Chicken Soup

No long simmers needed for this deeply flavored chicken soup. Browning the chicken—as well as using the darker-meat thighs—keeps the flavor high and the labor low. This soup was a collaborative effort, for which deep gratitude is owed to Chris Kimball, Alton Brown, Barbara Kafka, and a few Jewish grandmothers.

1-ounce package dried porcini mushrooms

½ cup all-purpose flour

1¼ pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs

2 tablespoons butter

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 large yellow onion, diced

3 large cloves garlic, minced

¼ teaspoon dried thyme

¼ teaspoon