Post by pelicanguy on Jan 15, 2007 14:46:25 GMT -5
* 2 cups coarsely chopped onions
* 1 cup coarsely chopped green peppers
* 4 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
* 4 garlic cloves, finely minced
* 2 Tbsp. chili powder (or up to 4 tablespoons if you like it really hot)
* 1 Tbsp. ground cumin
* 1 Tbsp. dried red pepper flakes
* 2 cans crushed “no-added salt” stewed tomatoes (35 oz. size)
* 2 Tbsp. Hunt’s or Contadina tomato paste
* 3/4 cup low-sodium, fat-free chicken broth
* 2 cans drained red kidney beans (15 oz. size)
* 1 tsp. Frank Davis Sicilian Seasoning or your favorite Italian seasoning
* 1 Tbsp. dark Hungarian paprika
* 1 tsp. sea salt (more if desired to taste)
* 1/2 tsp. fresh-ground black pepper
* 4 cups rough-ground, skinless, turkey breast meat
* 1 tsp. sugar or baking chocolate square (if desired)
* Shredded cheddar cheese, chopped red onion, and sour cream for optional garnish
* 4 cups cooked brown rice
First, in a large, 8-quart, heavy-bottom stockpot, cook down the onions and green peppers in the extra virgin olive oil over a medium high heat, stirring until the veggies turn a toasty golden color (figure this will take you about 5 minutes).
Next, add to the pot the garlic, chili powder, cumin, and red pepper flakes and cook the mixture, stirring constantly, for about a minute or two more (go ahead and pour in a little more olive oil if you feel it’s needed).
Continue building the chili by adding to the pot the stewed tomatoes, tomato paste, chicken broth, red beans, Sicilian seasoning, paprika, sea salt, black pepper, and the ground turkey meat. At this point, over high heat, bring the entire mixture to a gentle bubble. Then immediately reduce the heat and simmer the chili—half-uncovered—for just about an hour.
Right about this time, you can re-salt to taste if necessary. This is also the time that you can stir in 2 teaspoons of sugar (or drop in the dark chocolate) to take the edge off the acidity of the tomatoes, if so desired.
Note that this chili may be made in advance, stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and reheated for service, or deep-frozen for a full 2 months without losing any taste or texture.
I suggest that this Mardi Gras entrée be served over browned rice and topped with a drizzle of shredded cheddar cheese, a sprinkling of chopped red onion, and a generous dollop of sour cream. Homemade Southern cornbread or a tall stack of buttered saltine crackers rounds out the presentation.
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Chef’s Notes:
1. Use the brand of commercially prepared chili powder that contains the least amount of sodium.
2. Chili, virtually any kind of chili, is best when served piping hot. Turkey chili is no exception.
3. If you’d rather do this dish with ground chicken breasts instead of turkey, it is perfectly acceptable.
4. Whenever possible, grind your own turkey or chicken—you know what you’re really getting and you know that it’s fresh. Just a simple home meat grinder is all you need.
5. Of course, if you just don’t want to use chicken or turkey to make your chili, yet you still want it to be as healthy as possible (low fat and low cholesterol), look up a neighbor down the block who deer hunts and ask him for a chunk of venison. Venison chili is really hard to beat—it’s lean and virtually low fat, and it’s indistinguishable from beef when prepared properly.
* 1 cup coarsely chopped green peppers
* 4 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
* 4 garlic cloves, finely minced
* 2 Tbsp. chili powder (or up to 4 tablespoons if you like it really hot)
* 1 Tbsp. ground cumin
* 1 Tbsp. dried red pepper flakes
* 2 cans crushed “no-added salt” stewed tomatoes (35 oz. size)
* 2 Tbsp. Hunt’s or Contadina tomato paste
* 3/4 cup low-sodium, fat-free chicken broth
* 2 cans drained red kidney beans (15 oz. size)
* 1 tsp. Frank Davis Sicilian Seasoning or your favorite Italian seasoning
* 1 Tbsp. dark Hungarian paprika
* 1 tsp. sea salt (more if desired to taste)
* 1/2 tsp. fresh-ground black pepper
* 4 cups rough-ground, skinless, turkey breast meat
* 1 tsp. sugar or baking chocolate square (if desired)
* Shredded cheddar cheese, chopped red onion, and sour cream for optional garnish
* 4 cups cooked brown rice
First, in a large, 8-quart, heavy-bottom stockpot, cook down the onions and green peppers in the extra virgin olive oil over a medium high heat, stirring until the veggies turn a toasty golden color (figure this will take you about 5 minutes).
Next, add to the pot the garlic, chili powder, cumin, and red pepper flakes and cook the mixture, stirring constantly, for about a minute or two more (go ahead and pour in a little more olive oil if you feel it’s needed).
Continue building the chili by adding to the pot the stewed tomatoes, tomato paste, chicken broth, red beans, Sicilian seasoning, paprika, sea salt, black pepper, and the ground turkey meat. At this point, over high heat, bring the entire mixture to a gentle bubble. Then immediately reduce the heat and simmer the chili—half-uncovered—for just about an hour.
Right about this time, you can re-salt to taste if necessary. This is also the time that you can stir in 2 teaspoons of sugar (or drop in the dark chocolate) to take the edge off the acidity of the tomatoes, if so desired.
Note that this chili may be made in advance, stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and reheated for service, or deep-frozen for a full 2 months without losing any taste or texture.
I suggest that this Mardi Gras entrée be served over browned rice and topped with a drizzle of shredded cheddar cheese, a sprinkling of chopped red onion, and a generous dollop of sour cream. Homemade Southern cornbread or a tall stack of buttered saltine crackers rounds out the presentation.
==========
Chef’s Notes:
1. Use the brand of commercially prepared chili powder that contains the least amount of sodium.
2. Chili, virtually any kind of chili, is best when served piping hot. Turkey chili is no exception.
3. If you’d rather do this dish with ground chicken breasts instead of turkey, it is perfectly acceptable.
4. Whenever possible, grind your own turkey or chicken—you know what you’re really getting and you know that it’s fresh. Just a simple home meat grinder is all you need.
5. Of course, if you just don’t want to use chicken or turkey to make your chili, yet you still want it to be as healthy as possible (low fat and low cholesterol), look up a neighbor down the block who deer hunts and ask him for a chunk of venison. Venison chili is really hard to beat—it’s lean and virtually low fat, and it’s indistinguishable from beef when prepared properly.