KosherEye.com

                     photo: by June Hersh

By June Hersh, The Kosher Carnivore , St. Martin's Press 

Rich and lean, not a bad combination. It also applies to ground turkey, making this a natural choice for chili.  The seasoning blend provides the punch, with a great array of mild to hot spices. Cumin embodies the essence of chili while the kickier spices like cayenne and chipotle provide the heat.

Ingredients:

Chili Seasoning Blend:
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons paprika, sweet or hot
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon garlic powder
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon dried oregano

For the Chili:
1 medium onion, chopped (about 3/4 cup)
1 red pepper, seeded, cored and finely diced (about 3/4 cup), optional
1 green pepper, seeded, cored and finely diced (about 3/4 cup), optional
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 to 1 1/2 pounds ground turkey
3 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 (28-ounce) can chopped tomatoes, drained
1 (4-ounce) can tomato sauce
2 chipotle chilies in adobo sauce*, seeded and minced plus 2 teaspoons of the adobo sauce
1 (15.5-ounce) can vegetarian baked beans
1 (15.5-ounce) can alubias beans,** drained and rinsed

Directions:

In a small bowl, combine the chili seasonings, reserve. Heat the oil in a large skillet, cook and stir the onions and peppers over medium heat, until soft, about 10 minutes.  Turn the heat to medium–high and add the ground turkey and garlic.  Sear the meat until it is no longer pink, breaking up any large pieces with the back of a wooden spoon. When the meat is cooked through, about 10 minutes, pour off most of the fat and add the tomatoes, tomato sauce, chipotle chilies and adobo sauce. Stir in the chili seasoning blend and bring to a boil.  Reduce the heat to low and cook for 20 minutes.  Add the beans, cover and cook until the flavors have developed about 30 minutes longer. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Notes:

Yield: About 8 servings
Start to Finish  Under 1 1/2 hours

*From KosherEye: The following brands are kosher certified: Roland, Star K and Embasa, OU. Fresh chipotle chilies and a dash (or two) of hot sauce can be substituted.
**Relative of the pinto bean.

Side Note Homemade guacamole or salsa make terrific toppings for the chili.

Behind the Counter Have your butcher grind white meat turkey. Alternate cuts  ground beef (+$) ground bison (+$) or ground chicken (-$).

Optional Garnish Non-dairy sour cream.

Recipes: Meat, Ground Turkey, Chili, Kosher