Chilli Time!!

Fall is in FULL swing (BIG smile), despite the random 75+ degree weather we had on Sunday. I've said it once I will say it again, I LOVE warm weather food!!

So I have been talking about it and now it's time to DISH about my chilli. My recipe is based on one by Emeril. He has several but since I work with ground turkey I started with one that he specifically created for ground turkey. Now, I know what you're thinking, "I thought she was going to have a completely original recipe." While a lot of my recipes are my own, I do use recipes from other chefs and cooks as the basis for some of my dishes. Think of it as writing a paper in college or graduate school. You have to cite all the well-known scholars and their contribution of the field and then you add your own perspective (flavor if you will). Cooking is the same way!  

So let's start with the ingredients!

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 cups chopped yellow onions 
• 1 cup of diced shallots (these are small purple looking onions)
• 3/4 cup diced red bell pepper (roughly 2/3 of the pepper)
• 3/4 cup diced green bell pepper(roughly 2/3 of the pepper)
• 2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and minced
• 1 1/2 tablespoons minced garlic
• 3 pounds ground turkey
• 1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro stems
• 3 tablespoons chili powder
• 3 teaspoons unsweetened cocoa powder 
• 3 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin 
• 2 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 tablespoon ground coriander
• 3 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 2 tablespoons paprika
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, or to taste
• 1 tablespoon oregano
• 1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes with their juices
• 1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce 
• 5 cups chicken broth
• 1 can cooked and drained kidney beans
• 1 can cups cooked and drained black beans
• 1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro leaves

Directions (with great pictures)

Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large pot and when hot add the onions and both the red and green bell peppers and cook until vegetables are soft. I recommend using a wooden spoon to stir.

 

The onions and peppers should loose some of their color when they are soft.

 

Add the jalapenos and minced garlic and cook an additional 2 minutes. 

Add a little more olive oil to the mix (roughly 2 tablespoons) and then add the ground turkey. Next add the cilantro stems. Be sure you wash them before you cut them up as there is often a lot of stuff in between the stems.

Next up is your seasoning. Add the chili powder, cocoa powder, crushed red pepper, cumin, black pepper, coriander, cayenne pepper, paprika, and salt, and oregano. 

Stir everything into ground turkey and make sure you break up any lumps, until the turkey is cooked through (meaning there is no pink anywhere in the meat). Notice that I have switched from the wooden spoon to a large fork. The fork helps to break up the meat. 

Add the tomatoes, tomato sauce, and chicken broth and bring to a boil. Now is the time to check the heat levels of your chilli. Take your wooden spoon and scoop yourself a sample and place it on a plate/bowl. If you are one of those people that like to eat off the spoon then you need to have another spoon on hand. No double dipping!

If you like it a little hotter, add 1-2 more teaspoons of red pepper flakes and 1-2 teaspoons more of cayenne pepper. Add carefully because the heat will sneak up on you. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes. Add the kidney beans and black beans and cook about 30 minutes longer. The chilli should start to become thicker.

Lastly, add the cilantro, remove from the heat and let sit for 10-15 minutes before serving. 

I like to eat my chilli with cornbread or over some brown rice. Some popular toppings are sour cream, cheese, and onions (I prefer shallots or green onions). I topped off this serving with some reduced-fat cheddar cheese and a dollop (I just love that word) of sour cream.

If you REALLY want to impress people, make it the night before you're planning to serve it. Dishes always taste better after they sit over night. I served this one year for a Super Bowl gathering it was DEFINITELY a hit.

Tada!