Chili for a Crowd

This is the chili we serve at the January 1st Polaris Bear Swims. The recipe is from the Silver Palate Cookbook and is (imo) the best chili hands down. With my daughter being vegan, I make one batch as per the below recipe and a 2nd batch using plant based meat.

Servings: 20

Ingredients

2 Tbl extra-virgin olive oil
1 lb yellow onions, coarsely chopped
1 lb sweet Italian sausage, removed from casings
4 lbs extra lean ground beef
2 x 156ml cans tomato paste
1 1/2 Tbl minced garlic
1/3 c ground cumin
1/2 c chili powder
1/4 c Dijon mustard
2 Tbl dried basil
2 Tbl dried oregano
1 Tbl salt, or to taste
1 1/2 Tbl freshly ground black pepper
3 x 796ml cans Italian plum tomatoes, drained
1/4 c dry red wine
2 Tbl lemon juice
1/4 c chopped fresh dill
1/4 c chopped parsley
2 x 540ml cans dark-red kidney beans, drained
2 x 398ml cans pitted black olives, drained (or use 1 can only)

Toppings

shredded cheddar
green onions
jalapeños
sour cream

Directions

Heat the olive oil in a very large pot. Add the onions and cook over low heat, stirring
occasionally, until wilted, about 15 minutes. Add the sausage meat and ground chuck and
cook over medium-high heat, stirring, until the meats are well browned. Spoon off any
excess fat and discard.

Stir in the tomato paste, garlic, cumin, chili powder, mustard, basil, oregano, salt, and
pepper. Add the tomatoes, wine, lemon juice, dill, parsley, and kidney beans. Stir well and
simmer uncovered, for another 15 minutes.

Taste and adjust the seasonings. Add olives and simmer for 5 minutes more the heat
through. Serve immediately.