Cybele Pascal

I was intrigued when I got this recipe from Nielsen-Massey Vanillas for Super Bowl Chili. Chili from a premium Vanilla extract company?  I looked over the recipe and quickly saw that in addition to being innovative, “White bean chili scores an extra point with Pure Chocolate Extract”, it appeared to be easy and allergy-free.  I emailed them right back to ask if their Chocolate Extract was allergy-friendly and gluten-free, and was told, “All Nielsen-Massey products are Allergen-Free and certified Kosher and Gluten-Free including the Pure Chocolate Extract.”.  ”Really? How exciting!” I said to myself. “I’ll have to share this with my readers”. So here you are, I’m sharing this super chili bowl for Super Bowl Sunday.

WAUKEGAN, ILL. (January 17, 2012) – Every sports fan knows that the Super Bowl not only involves great football, commercials and an extravagant half-time performance, but the game day grub often becomes the MVP of Super Bowl Sunday.

Chili, along with finger-licking appetizers, sandwiches and desserts, can become a menu that will keep everyone happy — even fans of the losing team. Nielsen-Massey Vanillas Pure Chocolate Extract is a secret ingredient that can take a bowl of chili from mediocre to memorable.

Pure Chocolate Extract offers the full depth of dark chocolate, made from the finest cocoa beans. It can be used to add an extra measure of chocolate flavor to dishes that have a chocolate base or can bring a top note to sauces, chili and other spicy foods. It goes exceptionally well with chile peppers, tomatoes and legumes, making it a great pair to the Hearty White Bean Chili recipe below.

“In my house Super Bowl Sunday means family, friends and food. As the chef for the day, I always use our pure flavors and vanillas to create appetizers, main dishes and desserts,” said Craig Nielsen, chief executive officer of Nielsen-Massey Vanillas.

The recipe below puts a twist on the ultimate Super Bowl dish that will have fans requesting seconds at halftime.

Hearty White Bean Chili

Serves 6

2 tablespoons olive oil
3 boneless skinless chicken breasts, medium dice
1 cup finely diced onion
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup organic chicken stock
1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 (29-ounce) can tomato sauce
1 (7-ounce) can diced green chiles
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 tablespoons dried organic parsley
1 tablespoon dried organic oregano
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2 teaspoons Nielsen-Massey Pure Chocolate Extract
1 (15-ounce) can white kidney beans, drained
1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded Daiya “Cheddar”, “Mozzarella”, or “Pepper Jack” (my innovation) or freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Heat the olive oil in a medium sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook for 4 to 5 minutes or until brown. Remove the chicken from the pan with a slotted spoon and set aside. Add the onion to the sauté pan and cook until caramelized, stirring occasionally. Add the garlic and cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Pour in the chicken stock, scraping the bottom of the pan with a wood spoon to deglaze.

Pour the stock mixture into a large saucepot and add the cooked chicken, tomatoes, tomato sauce, chiles, cumin, parsley, oregano, cayenne pepper and salt. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the chocolate extract and white kidney beans. Cook for 10 minutes.

Ladle the chili into soup bowls and garnish with the cheese.

Note: Caramelization cooks the naturally occurring sugars in food and improves their flavor and appearance.

Deglaze means to stir a liquid, usually wine, in a sauté pan to loosen the cooked food particles from the pan.

About Nielsen-Massey Vanillas
Throughout its more than 100 year history, Nielsen-Massey Vanillas has earned its reputation as a manufacturer of the finest extracts in the world. The full line of Nielsen-Massey’s Pure Vanilla products include: Vanilla Beans and Extracts from Madagascar, Tahiti and Mexico; sugar and alcohol-free Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla Powder; Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla Bean Paste; Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla Sugar and Certified Organic Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla Extract and Beans.

Nielsen-Massey Vanillas also has a line of Pure Flavors: Pure Chocolate Extract, Pure Almond Extract, Pure Orange Extract, Pure Lemon Extract, Pure Coffee Extract, Pure Peppermint Extract, Orange Blossom Water and Rose Water. All Nielsen-Massey products are Allergen-Free and certified Kosher and Gluten-Free. The company is headquartered in Waukegan, Illinois, with production facilities in Waukegan and Leeuwarden, The Netherlands.

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For more information about Nielsen-Massey Vanillas, contact:
Gardi Wilks, gwilks@savoragency.com
Savor – The Food Agency, 847-556-7511