I'm fancy, huh?

Those fancy-shmancy chefs deconstruct things all the time, right? Well I wanted to fancy-shmancy. So I decided to deconstruct chili!

• ¼ lb of ground pork
• ½ can of diced tomatoes
• 1/4 can of tomato sauce
• New Mexico Chili powder (but any chili powder would work)
• ½ onion
• a few stalks of celery
• 3~4 cloves of garlic
• ½ red bell pepper (any color will work)
• 1 cup of black beans
• Salt and pepper
• Polenta Cakes from Chicken Cacciatore that I froze 

1) If you bought dried beans like me, take the steps necessary rehydrate them. If not, beans out of a can are totally fine.

2) Dice up garlic, celery, bell pepper, and onion. There should be about an equal amount of the latter three. Side note I: These three aromatics are commonly called the Holy Trinity of Southern/Cajun/Creole cooking, an alternative to the French mirepoix of celery, carrots, and onions.

3) In a skillet heat oil, and add garlic and the holy trinity.

4) Add salt and pepper.

5) In a bowl take the holy trinity and mix with black beans. Mash. Mash a lot. Form into patties (I got three). Form the patties to be about the same size as your polenta cakes.

6) In a separate bowl add ground pork, diced tomatoes (remember to drain excess water), salt, pepper, and chili powder. Also form into patties.

7) Heat two skillets. Add a little oil. Cook pork patties through. Cook bean patties to warm up and until they get a slight char on the edges.

8) In a sauce pan heat tomato sauce with chili powder.

9) Plate and serve!

Cost breakdown:

• ¼ lb of ground pork: $1.64/2= $0.82
• ½ can of diced tomatoes: $1.19= $0.60
• 1/4 can of tomato sauce: $0.99/4= $0.25
• 1 cup of black beans: $0.76/3 $0.25
• 1/2 Red Bell Pepper:  $0.25/2= $0.12
• 4 cloves of garlic: $0.48/18= $0.03
•  $0.03x4= $0.12
• ½ Onion= $0.20/2= $0.10
• Celery: $0.89/4= $0.22
• Polenta: $0.30x 3= $0.90 (Check chicken cacciatore for full cost breakdown)

Total: $0.82+$0.60+$0.25+$0.25+$0.12+$0.12+$0.10+$0.22+$0.90= $3.38
Total per serving: $3.38/3= $1.12 per serving