Black Bean Turkey Chili
On a culinary trip to Oaxaca, Mexico, I learned that turkeys and black beans are a staple of the native people. And they pair so well in this chili. Kombu simmers with the beans to make them more palatable and less flatulent. I use several varieties of chilies here; however, substituting one-fourth cup of chili powder will suffice, though not as flavorful or authentic.
The chilies on the right are pasilla negro, middle are guajillo, left are ancho. These take a bit of preparation but are so worth the authentic flavor. Not shown are the canned chipotle in adobo that I keep in my freezer when opened.
8 servings
INGREDIENTS:
1 cup dried black beans (½ pound)
1 kombu leaf (optional)
2 ancho chilies, stems, and seeds removed
2 guajillo chilies, stems, and seeds removed
2 pasilla chilies, stems, and seeds removed
3 cups chicken stock, divided
1 chipotle in adobo sauce with one tablespoon of sauce from the can
2 tablespoons avocado oil
1 pound ground turkey
1 large onion, finely diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon cumin
2 teaspoons Mexican oregano
1 (4-ounce) can green chilies
2 (14-ounce) cans of crushed fire-roasted tomatoes
2 tablespoons fine or instant cornmeal
Sea salt
Optional Garnishes:
6 tablespoons chopped red onion
6 tablespoons sour cream
6 lime wedges
DIRECTIONS:
Bring two quarts of filtered water and one teaspoon of salt to a boil. Add the beans. Bring back to a boil; turn off the heat and cover. Rest for one hour or refrigerate overnight. Drain the beans. Bring another pot of two quarts of filtered water, kombu, and one teaspoon of salt to a boil. Add the drained beans. Gently simmer the beans until soft and tender but still hold their shape (the time will vary with the age and quality of the beans). Drain.
Meanwhile, heat a saucepan over medium-high heat. Toast the ancho, guajillo, and pasilla chilies, stirring frequently until slightly glistening, darkened, and with an intense aroma. Bring one-and-a-half cups of chicken stock to a boil. Add the toasted chilies, chipotles, and sauce. Simmer for five minutes. Remove from heat. When cool enough to handle, gently scrape the pulp from the skin of the chilies using a paring knife and wearing disposable gloves (otherwise, your skin will tend to burn in pain), reserving the liquid. (The skin of the chilies tends to make the chili bitter), Transfer the chili pulp, liquid, chipotle, and sauce to a blender or small processor and blend until smooth, for about one minute.
In a non-reactive Dutch oven pan, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the ground turkey and onions, break up the turkey with a spatula, and cook until no longer pink, about five minutes. Add the garlic, cumin, and oregano, cooking until fragrant, about one minute. Deglaze with one-and-a-half cups of chicken broth. Add the blended chili puree, green chilies, tomatoes, and cornmeal. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Simmer for one-and-a-half hours until thickened and flavors have developed.
Add the cooked black beans and heat thoroughly. Taste, Think, Transform with salt and lime juice.
Serve warm, garnished with red onions, sour cream, and lime wedges.
Black Bean Turkey Chili
Ingredients
- 1 cup dried black beans (½ pound)
- 1 kombu leaf (optional)
- 2 ancho chilies, stems, and seeds removed
- 2 guajillo chilies, stems, and seeds removed
- 2 pasilla chilies, stems, and seeds removed
- 3 cups chicken stock, divided
- 1 chipotle in adobo sauce with one tablespoon of sauce from the can
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil
- 1 pound ground turkey
- 1 large onion, finely diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon cumin
- 2 teaspoons Mexican oregano
- 1 (4-ounce) can green chilies
- 2 (14-ounce) cans of crushed fire-roasted tomatoes
- 2 tablespoons fine or instant cornmeal
- Sea salt
- Optional Garnishes:
- 6 tablespoons chopped red onion
- 6 tablespoons sour cream
- 6 lime wedges
Instructions
- Bring two quarts of filtered water and one teaspoon of salt to a boil. Add the beans. Bring back to a boil; turn off the heat and cover. Rest for one hour or refrigerate overnight. Drain the beans. Bring another pot of two quarts of filtered water, kombu, and one teaspoon of salt to a boil. Add the drained beans. Gently simmer the beans until soft and tender but still hold their shape (the time will vary with the age and quality of the beans). Drain.
- Meanwhile, heat a saucepan over medium-high heat. Toast the ancho, guajillo, and pasilla chilies, stirring frequently until slightly glistening, darkened, and with an intense aroma. Bring one-and-a-half cups of chicken stock to a boil. Add the toasted chilies, chipotles, and sauce. Simmer for five minutes. Remove from heat. When cool enough to handle, gently scrape the pulp from the skin of the chilies using a paring knife and wearing disposable gloves (otherwise, your skin will tend to burn in pain), reserving the liquid. (The skin of the chilies tends to make the chili bitter), Transfer the chili pulp, liquid, chipotle, and sauce to a blender or small processor and blend until smooth, for about one minute.
- In a non-reactive Dutch oven pan, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the ground turkey and onions, break up the turkey with a spatula, and cook until no longer pink, about five minutes. Add the garlic, cumin, and oregano, cooking until fragrant, about one minute. Deglaze with one-and-a-half cups of chicken broth. Add the blended chili puree, green chilies, tomatoes, and cornmeal. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Simmer for one-and-a-half hours until thickened and flavors have developed.
- Add the cooked black beans and heat thoroughly. Taste, Think, Transform with salt and lime juice.
- Serve warm, garnished with red onions, sour cream, and lime wedges.
Nutrition Facts
Calories
330Fat (grams)
9 gSat. Fat (grams)
2 gCarbs (grams)
41 gFiber (grams)
11 gNet carbs
30 gSugar (grams)
11 gProtein (grams)
24 gSodium (milligrams)
483 mgCholesterol (grams)
39 mgThe information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist's advice.