Instructions: We recently invited firehouse cooks to send in their favorite recipes. We ran a contest and the results can be seen in this recipe and the "19-Alarm Chili" recipe. The most frequently submitted dish was chili. That makes great sense since firehouse cooks often have to stop cooking right in the middle of the preparation of the dish and then come back to it later. The dish needs to stand up to this kind of treatment. Chili can take it. We have chosen two of the most interesting chili dishes and offer them to you without any explanation. While chili didnt win the contest, we certainly did gain some insight into the meaning of chili. SERVES 10-12

Robert Vazquez, of Engine Company 212 in Brooklyn, New York, sent in a recipe that caught the eyes of all of us. He offered strange additions that made me think this man is a serious cook; additions such as saffron and shallots. You would not think that these subtle and expensive ingredients would come through, but they do. This is a delicious dish !

I should also tell you that Bobs motto is "You light em, we fight em!" He is referring to chili?

In a large, heavy skillet, brown ground meat and sausage. Transfer to a 4-quart pot. In the same skillet add beef stock and bring to a boil. Remove stock from heat. Crumble saffron and add to the stock. Set this aside in a separate bowl. Add olive oil to the skillet and cook the shallots and garlic for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from heat. Add canned chiles, oregano, cumin seeds, cayenne pepper, chili powder, salt, and a few grindings of black pepper. Stir together, then add tomato paste and beef stock. Mix together thoroughly. Add this to the meat and bring to a boil.

Stir. Reduce heat and simmer in half-covered pot for 1-1/2 hours. Add beans 10 minutes before completion.

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