New york bowl of red

1. in a small dry skillet, toast the cumin seeds over moderate heat, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 2 minutes; grind in a spice mill or a mortar; heat a large enameled cast-iron casserole; season the brisket with salt and pepper; working in batches, add the meat to the casserole and cook over moderately high heat until well browned all over, about 8 minutes; transfer each batch to a large plate; add the garlic, jalapenos and onions to the casserole and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 4 minutes; add the commercial chili powder, pure red chile powder, coriander and half of the ground cumin; cook, stirring, for 2 minutes; return the cooked brisket to the casserole; add the beef stock, tomatoes and the oregano; bring to a boil over moderately high heat, then lower the heat and simmer gently, stirring occasionally, for 3 hours; stir in the ground chuck, season with salt and cook until the brisket is very tender and the sauce has thickened, about 1 hour longer; stir in the remaining cumin and simmer for 15 minutes; garnish with the scallions and serve.
2. 6 to 8 servings.
3. Jonathan levine director of the new york state chili cook-off and a member of the international chili society advisory board.
4. Note: rather than commercial chili powder, jonathan recommends using reno red chili mix, available by mail order from stewart"s chili company, p. o. Box 574, san carlos, ca 94070.
5. * available at specialty food stores and latin american markets.