Farm Fridays: New World Chili

What a nice Farm Friday! The past two weeks (during which I was on a blogging hiatus) we took home enormous and diverse piles of produce (it's entirely possible that attempting to finish my dissertation chapter while dealing with those piles is the reason behind that hiatus). This week was much more manageable, perhaps because the variety has calmed down a bit. Don't get me wrong - I love variety! But trying to find ways to use up that many things over the course of a week stressed me out a bit.

This week I found menu planning much easier, due to the reduced variety, and I managed to use a whole lot of produce in one fell swoop when planning today's dinner. I had some squashes (one acorn, one carnival) languishing in the basement from two weeks ago - today I noticed some blemishes forming, so I knew they had to be used. Chili was the first thing that came to mind.

Chili is perfect for this time of year because it wants the exact vegetables that are peaking: tomatoes, peppers, and winter squash. I found a great recipe for black bean chili with butternut squash from What Would Cathy Eat?, but I decided to tweak it a little. And by "a little," I guess I mean "a lot." I turned it into a clear-the-fridge catch-all. I kinda overdid it.

This is still a tasty chili - sweet squash offset by hearty beans, meaty turkey and smokey chipotles - I just messed up the proportions. In my zeal to use up the remaining vegetable stock in my freezer (since I was in the process of making another batch), I added way too much liquid. There were too many vegetables (if such a thing is possible) and not enough turkey and beans. In the recipe that follows, I have adjusted the quantities to more appropriate levels. The result should be a chili just as delicious as the one I had tonight, but more effectively balanced.

New World Chili
Adapted from What Would Cathy Eat?

2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 - 1 lb ground turkey (I used 1/2 lb here, but add more for a meatier chili)
3 tbsp chili powder
1 1/2 tbsp dried oregano
1 tbsp ground cumin
1 tsp cayenne pepper (this chili was pretty hot - if you're not a heat lover, definitely reduce or eliminate the cayenne)
salt and pepper to taste
2 onions, chopped
2 bell peppers, chopped (I used one red and one yellow - any color you have on hand will do, although sweeter peppers are preferable)
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 jalapeno peppers, minced
2 chipotles in adobo, minced
2 lb tomatoes, peeled, cored and chopped (I used regular slicing tomatoes, but plum tomatoes would be preferable if you have them - mine are reserved for canning)
2 c winter squash, diced (I used acorn and carnival)
1 c vegetable stock (or a combo of stock and your favorite beer)
3 15 oz cans black beans, rinsed
1/2 c cilantro, chopped
sour cream or Greek yogurt for serving

In a large Dutch oven (mine is 5 quarts and I nearly filled it - even with the adjusted proportions, you'll want a big pot!), heat the oil. Add the turkey, chili powder, oregano, cumin, cayenne, salt and pepper and stir, breaking the turkey up into small chunks, for 2-3 minutes, until cooked through. 

Add the onions, bell peppers, garlic, jalapenos, and chipotles and stir to combine. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 4-5 minutes, until the onions begin to look translucent.

Add the tomatoes (and any juices), squash and stock to the pot and stir to combine. Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer 10 minutes, or until squash begins to soften. Add the beans and cook 5 minutes more. Stir in the cilantro and serve, garnished with a dollop of sour cream or Greek yogurt.

Hearty Chili with Sausage and Beans

I know what you're thinking: Chili? Seriously? It's spring - enough with the heavy winter meals. 

I get it. I do feel self-conscious posting a hearty wintery recipe when all my fellow bloggers seem to be touting strawberries and asparagus. But seriously, guys - strawberry season hasn't started around here. It might be warm outside (most of the time), but it's still pretty early in the season. Asparagus only started showing up at my local farmers market a few days ago. And, to be honest, I had planned to tell you about the nice little pasta dish I made last night with asparagus, shallots and ramps (yes, ramps!), but every one of my pictures turned out blurry (my pictures seem to deteriorate somehow between the camera screen and the photo editor - perfectly good images suddenly look hideous). So chili is what you get.

There's nothing wrong with chili in the springtime, though. Spring evenings can be quite cool - it's just as nice to be able to snuggle down on the couch with a bowl of steaming chili on a spring evening as a winter one. And I'm really wishing I had some leftovers today to stave off the chill of the cold, steady rain outside.

I like making chilis because you can't mess them up. Everything goes in one pot and, usually, the longer they simmer, the better they taste. I also like the variety of serving options. They can be eaten straight from the bowl, with chips or over rice. They invite lots of tasty toppings, too. This time I went light and topped mine with some sliced green onions and a big dollop of Greek yogurt, but you could go with sour cream, any kind of cheese, and even bacon. It's a total crowd-pleaser!

Hearty Chili with Sausage and Beans
Adapted from The Locavore's Kitchen.

2 tbsp olive oil
2 large shallots, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
5 tbsp chili powder, divided
1 lb Italian sausage, casings removed

1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper, to taste
salt and pepper to taste
1 28 oz can chopped tomatoes, with juices (if using home canned tomatoes, a quart will do)
1 c local beer (we used Yards' Philadelphia Pale Ale)
2 c kidney beans, cooked (or two 15 oz cans)
2 tbsp cornmeal (which serves as a thickener)
1 tbsp honey

Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the shallots and saute 3-4 minutes until softened. Add the garlic and stir until fragrant. Add 3 tbsp chili powder and stir for an additional minute. Transfer the onion mixture to a separate bowl. Use a paper towel to (carefully!) wipe the excess spices off the bottom of the pot (otherwise they will quickly burn).

Increase the heat to medium-high and add the sausage. Cook for five minutes, stirring often to brown the meat on all sides. Return the onion mixture to the pot and stir everything together.

Add the remaining spices (the cumin, oregano, garlic powder, cayenne pepper, salt, black pepper and 2 tbsp chili powder) and stir well. Then add the tomatoes and beer. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and let simmer 20 minutes.

Add the cornmeal and honey and stir to thicken the mixture. Add the beans and cook another 10 minutes. Taste and add additional seasonings, if required.

Serve with chips and a dollop of Greek yogurt and some green onions (or whatever else you dream up!).

Turkey Chili

I'm not a very adventurous cook. That is, I generally follow recipes word-for-word. In the last year or so I've developed sufficient confidence to play around a little. Just a little. I tend to have poor results when I attempt to, say, adapt a 7" tart recipe to a 10" tart. Especially when attempting a new recipe.

This is one recipe, however, that I am willing to play around with: turkey chili. I don't mess with the essential ingredients, but I will add things liberally as necessary. It's a good way to use up those random vegetables that are lying around the kitchen. I tend to have a lot of those. I make a recipe that involves half a red onion and then never find a use for the other half. Or, even worse, I get a tomato and only use a tiny bit. I don't eat tomatoes. Jeff loves them, but he's not home all day like I am so he forgets about what might be lurking at the back of the fridge. A recipe like this, though, allows you to just toss them in. Today, my extras included the last two tomatoes left over from my garden (yes, I know it's after Thanksgiving - they took forever to turn red and I never found a use for them!) and some frozen butternut squash cubes.

Butternut squash cubes? I know you're thinking that sounds weird. I got this from one of the food blogs I follow (I don't remember which). The woman suggested this as a way to slip nutritious vegetables past unsuspecting children. I boiled large chunks of butternut squash until they were soft, pureed them in a blender (with a tiny bit of water for smoothness) and then poured them into ice cube trays. Days later (when I finally got around to it), I turned them out of the trays and put them all in a bit ziplock bag. Now I have them to use all winter, slipping them into sauces and soups almost like vitamin supplements. As of yet, I have only added them to tomato-based sauces. I haven't noticed the flavor at all, although I do think my chili tasted a bit sweeter than usual. It takes an already healthy meal and makes it even healthier!

The greatest thing about this chili, apart from its versatility, is the turkey. I use 94% fat free ground turkey breast. That 6% and 2 tbsp of olive oil is the entire fat content. The rest is just meat, veggies and seasoning. I thought it was a good choice for post-Thanksgiving. I want to try and eat lighter this week.

My favorite way to eat this chili is over white rice with sour cream and Mexican (or sharp cheddar) cheese on top. My second favorite way is with tortilla chips, almost as a dip. Jeff has even rolled it up into a (very messy) sort of wrap using a flour tortilla. Since this recipe makes a pretty healthy amount of chili, you'll have a chance to try it a variety of ways before it runs out.

Turkey Chili

Adapted from Rachel Ray's Get Real Meals.

2 tbsp olive oil  (I generally use light for cooking)

1 lb ground turkey breast  (the original recipe calls for 1 1/4 lbs, but my grocery store only sells it in 1 lb packages)

3 tbsp chili powder

1 tbsp grill seasoning

1 tbsp ground cumin

2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

dash hot sauce

1 yellow onion, diced into 1" pieces

2 bell peppers, diced into 1" pieces (I like to use two different-colored peppers. A 1" dice leaves fairly large chunks - if that's not to your taste, you can chop them smaller.)

1/2 bottle of beer  (I don't drink, so I don't have a favorite beer to recommend, but I generally go for a medium or light amber variety.)

28 oz can tomato puree

1/2 c BBQ sauce

1 c frozen corn

sour cream and shredded cheese to garnish

Heat a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the oil and heat up. Add the ground turkey. Season with chili, grill seasoning, cumin, Worcestershire sauce and hot sauce. Break up the meat into small crumbles (I chop it with a wooden spoon as I stir). Brown the meat for about 5 minutes.

Add the peppers and onion and cook for another 10 minutes.

Add the beer to deglaze (this may not be necessary - I use a nonstick pot, so very little sticks). Add the tomato puree, BBQ sauce and corn. Stir well to mix. Bring the chili to a bubble and simmer for at least 10 minutes more. (This is a Rachel Ray recipe, so she says this to keep the total time at 30 minutes. In my experience, the longer you cook the chili, the better the flavors blend. I would definitely let it simmer longer if you have the time.) 

Serve topped with sour cream and cheese!