Turkey Chili

Turkey Chili

When the weather starts to get cold I make hot, filling food. Like chili. I have lots of recipes because the basics are the same but the the recipe is so versatile that I can change it depending on my mood and on what ingredients I have.

For example:

1. the beans: red kidney, white cannelini, black beans are all fine — or any other. Dried and reconstituted or canned.

2. I usually choose ground turkey but you can use any ground meat (or chopped meat); best are: beef, veal or poultry. But you can make it meatless: try firm tofu or just use more beans, maybe two kinds.

3. make it spicier with chopped fresh chili pepper or less spicy with a mild chili powder

4. serve it with chips or mashed avocado (or sour cream for meatless)

Have it your way. It’s all good. Also — it lasts, so you can make it 2-3 days ahead and keep it in the fridge.

Note: a version of this recipe was originally published in The Jewish Week Food & Wine.

Turkey Chili

• 3 tablespoons olive oil

• 1 large onion, chopped

• 2 large cloves garlic, chopped

• 1 serrano (or other hot) pepper, deseeded and chopped, optional

• 16-20 ounces ground turkey

• 28 ounce can tomatoes, coarsely chopped, undrained

• 1/4 cup tomato paste

• 1/2 cup water or vegetable stock

• 2 teaspoons chili powder

• 2 teaspoons ground cumin

• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

• salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

• 15-19 ounce can white beans, drained

Heat the olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the garlic and serrano pepper and cook briefly. Add the turkey and cook, stirring to break up the pieces, for 3-5 minutes, until the meat has turned color. Add the tomatoes with their juices, tomato paste, water, chili powder, cumin, oregano and salt and pepper to taste. Cover the pan and simmer for 1-1/2 hours. Stir in the beans. Cook uncovered for 30 minutes.

Makes 4 servings

Turkey Chili

It’s freezing here in Connecticut. Not that that’s any surprise for January. But the weather has been so crazy for the past year or so that I kind of got used to things being warm in November and December with just an occasional cold or snowflaky day.

But, today is more like the Connecticut winter days I remember. 20 degrees and blowy.

Time for hot, filling food. 

Like chili.

I made this version with turkey, which makes it milder than traditional beef chili con carne.

Turkey Chili

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 large onion, chopped

2 large cloves garlic, chopped

1 serrano (or other hot) pepper, deseeded and chopped 

16-20 ounces ground turkey

28 ounce can tomatoes, coarsely chopped, undrained

1/4 cup tomato paste

1/2 cup water or vegetable stock

1 tablespoon chili powder

2 teaspoons ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

15-19 ounce can kidney beans, drained

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the garlic and serrano pepper and cook briefly. Add the turkey and cook, stirring to break up the pieces, for 3-5 minutes, until the meat has turned color. Add the tomatoes with their juices, tomato paste, water, chili powder, cumin, oregano and salt and pepper to taste. Cover the pan and simmer for 1-1/2 hours. Stir in the beans. Cook uncovered for 30 minutes. Makes 4 servings