National Chili Day: Celebrating With A Turkey Chili Recipe
What’s better than a deep bowl of chili to warm you up on a cold day … or bring friends together for the big game … or reward yourself for a job well done? Really, what’s not a great reason to dig into a bowl of Turkey Chili?
National Chili Day, Feb. 25th, honors this outstanding Culinary tradition, which has its roots in Tex-Mex cooking and has been called many things – chili con carne, “bowl o’red,” and the Official State Food of Texas! It’s also a food with a long, rich history – the first documented recipe dates to 1519, according to some estimates.
To help you spice up your own National Chili Day feast, Chef Joe Mele, CEC CCA ACE of Lincoln Culinary Institute in West Palm Beach has shared a couple of his personal favorite chili recipes, including a very special Turkey Chili!
White Turkey Chili
| 1 cup olive oil
1 large onion, diced 5 cloves garlic, minced 2 large green bell peppers, diced 2 jalapenos, diced 3 pounds ground turkey 3 tablespoons ground cumin 3 tablespoons dried oregano 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon 3 16-oz. cans cannellini beans 2 quarts chicken stock ground cayenne pepper to taste ground white pepper to taste |
- In a large heavy duty pot over medium heat, heat olive oil and add the onion, garlic, peppers and sauté for 10 minutes, add turkey and sauté until turkey is browned. Add the cumin, oregano, cinnamon, and then add the cayenne and white peppers to taste and sauté for 5 more minutes.
- Add the beans and the chicken stock to the pot. Simmer for approx. 30 minutes until flavors are well developed. Check seasonings, adjusting heat to your preference.
- Serve chili over cooked white rice, topped w/ raw diced onions, shredded Monterey jack/cheddar cheese and chopped cilantro leaves.
Super Bowl Chili
| 3 pounds beef chuck roast, cut into ½” cubes
1 large yellow onion, diced 2 poblano peppers, seeded and diced 2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and ribbed, diced ¼ cup olive oil 5 large garlic cloves, minced ½ 7-oz. can chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, minced 1 28-oz. can crushed tomatoes 1 28-oz. can diced tomatoes 3 12-oz. bottles of your favorite lager 1 tablespoon chili powder 1 tablespoon cumin 3 tablespoons kosher salt 3 tablespoons honey 2 teaspoons black pepper, ground 2 pints canned dark red kidney beans Sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (as needed) |
- In a large heavy bottomed pot, heat olive oil over medium high heat. Season beef cubes with salt & pepper. Add cubed beef to oil and brown on all sides.
- Remove seared meat from pan and reserve. Add onion and both peppers. Cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and beginning to brown. Stir in garlic and cook for 1 minute.
- Add back the beef and all remaining ingredients, except for beans, to the pan. Bring to a gentle boil, reduce heat and simmer on low for approximately 1 hour or until meat is tender.
- Add kidney beans and continue simmering for another 10 minutes. Adjust seasonings.
- Serve over steamed white rice and top with sharp shredded cheddar cheese.