Tailgate chili with borlotti beans with corn on the cob, tom

This "Tailgate Chili with Borlotti Beans" is a hearty dish that you can easily modify as you like. Here with corn on the cob and tomatoes.

Optimal coordination: The difficulty with this recipe lies in the correct division of the preparation steps. The aim is to reduce waiting time, but not to unintentionally prolong certain cooking processes. If you don't have a steamer or pressure cooker, you will need to allow more time for the beans to cook. You should also delay the subsequent preparation steps accordingly.

Information about Borlotti beans: Borlotti beans originally come from Central and South America. They take on a slightly redder color when cooked. While the large beans are often used in Italy for minestrone, the small, soft-cooking ones are better suited for stews like this tailgate chili.

Corn: Corn is a vitamin-rich crop with a high fiber content. The center of corn cultivation is in central Mexico. Remains from pre-Columbian times have been found in Mexico, Panama and Peru. After his discovery, Christopher Columbus brought corn cobs back to Europe, where they were grown in Spanish fields from 1525 onwards. Fresh corn from the field tastes best and goes very well with salads or stews. Outside of the season, corn is usually only available in canned form. In addition to eating it directly, it can also be processed further, with dried kernels being ideal for making polenta or baked goods.

Sweet peppers (yellow): Ripe peppers have different color compositions depending on the variety. However, among ordinary sweet peppers, only the green peppers are unripe. This is due to the green color pigment chlorophyll, which overshadows the carotenoids responsible for the typical coloring of peppers and loses intensity during the ripening process. Contrary to a widespread assumption, orange and yellow peppers are not a precursor to red peppers. You can test this yourself by placing the more bitter-tasting green peppers with ripe apples. The ripening gas ethylene emitted by the apples changes the color of the peppers without any intermediate stage. The color is therefore a question of variety.

Cutting onions and tears: The inevitable destruction of the cell structure when cutting onions leads to the release of the amino acid isoalliin from the cell plasma. This is a double-bond isomer of the sulphur-containing amino acid alliin, which is also found naturally in garlic or wild garlic, for example. But it alone does not cause a burning sensation. This requires a corresponding enzyme, the so-called alliinase, which is located in the cell vacuole. The suffix "-ase" in this case simply means that this enzyme breaks down chemical or organic compounds, i.e. in this case it causes a conversion of the isoalliin. Only an injury to the cell walls causes the two ingredients housed in two different cell compartments to come together. The resulting reactions sometimes lead to the formation of the compound propanthial-S-oxide. The plant uses the reaction mentioned to defend itself against predators or microbes. However, this substance also irritates our mucous membranes when it comes into contact, causing us to secrete tears as a counter-reaction.

Quick option: Buy the beans in a can from the supermarket, but preferably without salt. This eliminates the soaking time and also reduces the cooking time. However, canned beans cannot compete in terms of taste and, depending on the quality, they fall apart quickly.

As with beans, you can save time by using canned corn, but the quality of the dish may suffer.

Fewer tears when cutting onions: There are various household tricks that can reduce or even prevent the flow of tears when cutting onions. On the one hand, using a sharp knife helps to keep the number of destroyed cell structures to a minimum, which means that slightly less of the mucous membrane-irritating propanthial-S-oxide escapes. On the other hand, "cooling" the onion in the refrigerator (about 15 minutes is enough) helps to reduce the amount of acid enzymes released into the air. Other methods range from cutting next to a strong extractor, using a fan, wearing lenses and chewing bread to taking a sip of water in your mouth while cutting onions. The latter do not work for everyone and it is up to you which method works best for you.

Beans: You can easily replace the borlotti beans with other types of beans, such as kidney beans or white beans.

Spices: Depending on your taste or cooking method, more spices are desired. Instead of salt, you can also use a little vegetable stock or, if you don't like the chili spicy enough, add a peperoncini to it. Peppercorns also provide a fruity, spicy note.

Replace coriander: Coriander is a hereditary matter of taste. If you like to use other herbs, you can use fresh parsley, for example. Although this is often done, parsley does not offer a comparable substitute in terms of taste.

Canned corn: If you don't have fresh corn cobs at home, you can also usecanned corn. However, you should pay attention to the quality and additives. It is recommended that you rinse the canned kernels with tap water before further processing and then let them drain.