NEW WORK | MEZCAL JALAPENO TORTILLA STRIP CHILI VERDE + MEXICAN LIME CREMA

I’ve been sitting on this one for a bit, but it’s out today! Last fall I submitted a recipe for my Mezcal Jalapeno Tortilla Strip Chili Verde as well as an additional recipe for Mexican Lime Crema! I’m a huge fan of chili and I always love having something that’s savory and warm as we head into the cooler and colder parts of the year!

Both of my recipes are in Brian Baumgartner’s (yes he played Kevin Malone from The Office!) Seriously Good Chili Cookbook: 177 of the Best Recipes in the World! There are a number of amazing recipes in this book as it breaks down chili into a number of categories, talks about its origins, common ingredients and chiles and he has even included his recipe, Kevin Malone’s and a number of award winning ones as well!

Growing up in Indiana, I grew up on a red chili with beans and cheese that were topped on rice! I also liked Skyline Chili which was always a treat as it was extra cheese and it sat on top of noodles! There was such a comfort to every bite! As I continued on through college and moved to NYC, I learned about a number of othr chilis and in my travels, I fell in love with other versions. Interestingly enough, I have been a long time fan of verde when it comes to my salsas, Bloody Marys and more. When my Co-Founder and I launched Athleisure Mag back in 2016, I took my love for Tequila and took it to the next level by falling in taste love with Mezcal! Here in NY, I began going to a number of Taquerías and loved the smoky flavors that I found in my favorite cocktails and tacos. Most importantly, there is a Mezcalaria, known as Casa Mezcal that is in the city that has infused Mezcal which is always a treat to have when I am on the LES. The idea began here - thinking of foods that had Mezcal in them.

My chili is made of 3 meats, an array of green chiles and of course Mezcal. Immediately, I knew that I wanted to pair it with a Mexican Lime Crema which has a nice cooling effect! This recipe is also in the cookbook. I also made a cocktail (that you won’t find in this book) which is a Mezcal Infused Jalapeno Margarita - what a great way to keep that zip going and I like that it keeps well in the fridge as well! It was so much fun to make this recipe, share the backstory on it from my passion for the category of this dish as well as my work at Athleisure Mag leading me to a wellness version of this dish! When I interviewed Brian for a recent podcast that I am the Co-Executive Producer/Host at Athleisure Kitchen, he talked about how even his signature chili recipe continues to be tweaked and refined. I’d like to think that the more that I make this, I will come up with new twists, use seasonal ingredients and really find ways to make this a recipe that becomes a go-to for gatherings during Super Bowl Sunday or whenever we want something hearty and tasty!