Martha! Martha! Martha! Why must you have me totally and completely convinced that all soups must be made in a Le Creuset dutch oven? Not that I am complaining, mind you, I love the even heat distribution and the overall indestructibility of the cast iron. But it's just SO BIG and SO HEAVY. (Photo note: I forgot to take a picture until 10:00 last night and we had already scooped the chili into a smaller pot so it would fit in the fridge). My husband is convinced that I am just looking for excuses to use the dutch oven, and maybe he's right. I mean, chili in August? I'm getting sweaty just thinking about it.
The chili turned out pretty good, but it was a little too hot for me. The overall heat of a dish is really hard to figure out as you are cooking it - just tasting from a spoon isn't always a good indicator - sometimes it takes a few good bites before the spice kicks in. If you make this chili, and want to keep it mild, omit the jalapeno and cayenne pepper. If you don't have to have a dutch oven to make it, a large pot will do just fine. Instead of putting the pot in the oven to finish cooking, just simmer it on very low heat on the stovetop.
Turkey Chili
-1 lb ground turkey
-1 large green bell pepper, chopped
-1 small to med yellow onion, finely chopped
-1 jalapeno pepper, finely chopped
-2 or 3 big carrots, diced
-1 or 2 celery stalks, diced
-2 cloves garlic, cut as thin as you can get it (MM: a garlic press works wonders)
-2 cans of red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
-1 large can of diced tomatoes
-3 tbsp cumin
-3 tbsp chili powder
-pinch cayenne pepper
-pinch nutmeg
-salt and pepper
-olive oil
-3 cups water
Heat the pot over a low to medium flame, and add just enough olive oil to coat the bottom. Add the onions and carrots, sautee for several minutes until the onions are translucent. Then add the rest of the veggies, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and let it slowly cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Use a slotted spoon to remove the veggies and set them aside, and pour out the excess oil. Brown the turkey in the pan, then drain off any fat you can. Dump in the tomatoes, beans and veggies. Add the water and spices. (You can use more or less water, depending on how soupy you like your chili). Bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally. Cover and let it simmer for at least 30 minutes, or as long as you please. The longer it cooks, the richer the chili.
If you have a dutch oven, just take the whole pot and throw it into the oven at 200 degrees. You can leave it there for hours, it sort of acts like a crock pot.
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