Chili in Italy

(recipe serving size – 5 cups)

For the chili:

1/2 lb ground chuck beef (80/20)

1/2 lb ground pork

1 28 oz can whole peeled tomatoes

8 oz baby bella mushrooms, sliced

2 cloves garlic, finely minced

3/4 cup red bell pepper, diced

1/2 cup green bell pepper, diced

1/4 cup pickled jalapeño, diced

1 1/2 tb pepperonicini, chopped

1 tsp onion powder

1 tsp chili powder

1 tsp smoked paprika

1 tsp dried oregano

1 1/2 tsp kosher salt

1/2 tsp cracked black pepper

3 tb olive oil

2 tb butter

Over medium heat, sauté peppers in 1 tb of olive oil and 1 tb of butter for 5 minutes in a large pot. Remove the peppers from the pot. Add 1 tb of butter and 1 tb of olive oil. Add the mushrooms and cracked black pepper and sauté for 8 minutes, allowing the mushrooms to sit undisturbed for 3-4 minutes before turning them so the vegetable can gain some color.

Remove the mushrooms and raise the heat to medium-high. Return the peppers to the pan. Add the beef and pork. Season with the onion powder, chili powder, smoked paprika, oregano and 1 tsp of kosher salt. Brown for 3-4 minutes, just shy of the meat being cooked all the way through. Be sure to break up the meat while it browns with a wooden spoon.

Add the whole peeled tomatoes and break them up with a wooden spoon, leaving large chunks in the sauce. Add the garlic, 1/2 tsp of kosher salt and 1 tb of olive oil. Return the mushrooms to pot and simmer with the lid on for 20 minutes.

Bringing it all together:

1/3 cup mascarpone cheese

1/4 cup cilantro, chopped

2 tb pecorino romano cheese, grated

Ladle the chili into a small bowl. Dollop with mascarpone cheese. Sprinkle the romano cheese across the top and garnish with the chopped cilantro. Serve while hot.