"Gunner" <gunner@ spam.com> wrote in message
...



All kidding aside, do let me know when you find carrots and celery in
> anything close to a SW chili, or a chile con carne type dish and please let
> me know the finite portions of the chiles in your "dish" or even what the
> chiles are in those cans you used. Meantime, don't waste 8 ozs of tequila,
> well unless it is a Cuervo.

Without question if you believe the evolution of chili (layered meat & chilis
dried) there certainly is no mirepoix. Contrary to the popular belief the
purpose sauteing the root vegetables is not to carmelize the sugars but rather
to envoke the Maillard Reaction (see below). This produces a depth of flavor
that I believed was necessary to overcome the masking of the flavors by the
capsaicin. What I was looking for and believe I achieved was a burst of flavor
followed by the heat, and a strong after taste.

:-)

Dimitri

http://www.landfood.ubc.ca/courses/f...brown_prin.htm


Maillard reaction is a non-enzymatic browning reaction, caused by the
condensation of an amino group and a reducing compound, resulting complex
changes in biological and food system. This reaction was described for the first
time by Louis Maillard in 1912. Maillard reaction occurs when virtually all
foods are heated, and also occurs during storage. Most of the effect of Maillard
reaction, including the caramel aromas and golden brown colors, are desirable.
Nevertheless, some of the effect of Maillard reaction, including foods darkness
and off-flavor development, are undesirable.

Maillard Reaction Products

* Aroma and Flavor
Maillard-derived aromas are extremely complex and many components are formed in
trace amounts by side-reactions and obscure pathways. The deoxyosones are
considered to be primary source of aroma volatile compounds. Deoxyosones undergo
cyclization/dehydration to produce flavor important furan derivatives and
different types of furans are formed depending in osone structure.
The aroma profile also varies with the temperature and time of heating. At any
given temperature-time combination, a unique aroma, which is not likely to be
reproduced at any other combination of heating conditions, is produced.

The formation of a specific flavor may require the simultaneous generation of
100 or 200 individual chemicals in the proper concentration and delicate
balance. A large number and wide variety of flavor and aroma compounds are
formed via the Maillard reaction. Moreover, reactant composition, environment
and processing could influence the reaction.

* Color
The development of color is an extremely important feature of the Maillard
reaction but relatively little is known about the chemical nature of the
compounds responsible. There are both good and bad sides of the Maillard
reaction for color development. Color development in meats and bread baking is
desirable while the browning of dry milk or dehydrated products is undesirable.