Recipes by Chill Wills: Blintzes; Chili

Chill Wills' Blintzes

3 eggs, separated
2 tbsps. melted butter
Pinch of salt
Dash of sugar
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups milk
One carton (8 ozs.) sieved cottage cheese (or farmer's cheese)
1 egg yolk
Dairy sour cream
Soft sweet butter
Black cherry preserves

Beat 3 egg yolks, melted butter, salt, sugar, flour and milk together until smooth. Beat 3 egg whites until soft peaks are formed; fold into yolk-flour mixture. Cover bowl, let batter stand about 1 hour. Place large skillet over high heat, spread evenly and lightly with thin film of melted butter. Use about 2 tablespoons batter for each pancake, tilt pan to make very thin pancakes, or blintzes. Cook on one side only. Stack, browned side up, between squares of aluminum foil. Blend together cottage cheese, egg yolk and 2 tablespoons sour cream. Place heaping tablespoon cheese mixture in center of browned side of each blintz; fold sides over filling like an envelope, press to seal. Cook at once in butter until crisp and lightly browned. Makes about 20.

Chill Wills' Chili

1 pound lean stewing beef (preferably neck meat), cut in 1-inch cubes
2 teaspoons Spanish olive oil
1 teaspoon red pepper powder***
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1 clove garlic, crushed
About 1 cup water

Saute beef in oil in cast-iron skillet over high heat until well-browned. Add remaining ingredients, bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat and simmer about 1 hour (or until meat is tender enough to chew, but not overcooked). Add more water if necessary during cooking.

***Chill Wills grows his own chili peppers (ancho variety, the large sweet Mexican pepper used for preparing Chiles Rellenos), sun dries the seeds and creates his chili powder by grinding the seeds. A good grade of chili powder compound (available in Mexican or Spanish food shops) or Gebhardt chili powder may be substituted. Both types of chili powder contain ground chili peppers plus ground cumin. Adjust flavor to taste. Serves 4.