This week's recipe takes a little break from the Haitian recipes so I can give you one of my favorite American dishes: chili. I've been a little strapped for time this week, which always reminds me that I own a slow cooker that's designed to save me time.
I love a good chili, especially in the winter. There's something comforting about the heat of the chili as it helps take away the chill from outside. It may also be one of the only foods I prefer eating the day after I've made it. It's also freezes really well, so even though I end up making a lot of it, I'm perfectly happy to freeze some for another time.
You might be wondering why I chose chili as my first American meal. There isn't really a big story behind this one, but it's a food that you can doctor up to be whatever you wish it to be, but it's most certainly not Haitian. It's the kind of thing I'd have to talk my parents into eating (unless it's being served with rice). As American a dish as it is, it's still chock full of flavor, and that's how it's become one of my favorites. I tend to serve this a lot at Super Bowl parties (more on the Super Bowl in future posts) because it feels very American (as does the Super Bowl).
I think I got the original recipe from somewhere, but it's changed so much over the course of time, and I can't remember where the original came from. In any case, here's my take on Turkey Chili.
In terms of variety, I've made a variation of this without turkey by substituting the turkey with a can or two of corn, and I think it works just as well without the turkey. I've also tried it with ground beef, but that honestly didn't work as well as I would like.
Turkey Chili
Ingredients: 3 to 4 cups of ground turkey 1/2 lime 4 garlic cloves, chopped fine 2 teaspoons seasoned salt 5 teaspoons dried basil 2 teaspoon black pepper 1/4 cup olive oil 2 cups chopped onion 1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper 1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper 1 cup water 2 (35 oz) cans crushed tomatoes 2 (15 oz) cans pinto beans, drained 1 tablespoons tomato paste 1 teaspoon chicken base 4 teaspoon chili powder 1 teaspoon ground cumin 1 teaspoon dried hot red pepper flakes 3 teaspoon dried oregano 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon Sugar (to reduce acidity) Shredded cheddar cheese, chopped green onion, sour cream for optional garnish.
Directions: 1. Mix the turkey, lime juice, garlic, 1 teaspoon salt, 2 teaspoons basil, and 1 teaspoon black pepper. 2. In a large pan, warm up the olive oil on medium high heat. 3. Add the seasoned turkey, onions, and bell peppers and cook for about 10-15 minutes. Be sure to keep the turkey from clumping together. 4. In a large slow cooker, add all the ingredients (except for garnishes) and stir well. 5. Cook on high for 4-5 hours.