My neighborhood got stuck in ice – literally. The ice storm last Sunday seemed to make random appearances in neighborhoods around town, but it apparently liked us the best and decided to stay. We are a little colder than the rest of Nashville here in the Radnor Lake valley, so ice came to us earlier. By morning, downed trees blocked our street, and power lines were everywhere but where they belonged. Utility poles had been snapped in half with transformers lying on the ground, and – well, you get the picture. We were a cold mess.
What can you do for two days with minimal power from a generator barely keeping the house above freezing and a couple of battery operated lanterns for light? I know! Ask me! You can dream about the food you’ll make once you have a working stove. Believe me, I had some grand plans, but even when we finally had electricity and cable to boot, it was still cold and icy outside. Dinner had to be chili. That was what my family demanded and that’s what they got, mostly because it sounded pretty good to me as well.
Everybody has their own special chili recipe. I just enjoyed my cousin’s famous chili made with Kahlua in South Carolina. My sister makes what can only be described as a fabulous fajita chili, featuring grilled veggies and meat leftover from a fajita supper. My friend Nancy makes this marvelous chili pie concoction that has a cornbread crust. She swears that it cures hangovers – or so she’s been told.
My basic chili recipe has remained unchanged for years. What can I say? It’s good chili. But all that time being stuck in the ice made me wonder if I was stuck in a chili rut. It might be time to try something a little unusual just shake things up in our complacent chili world. So I did. How about a spicy slow cooked Turkey, Vegetable, and Lentil Chili with all the fixin’s?
Some special ingredients – chocolate – whisky – chipotle, and lots of spices added great flavor, as did that nice long simmer. Before dinner I got a little antsy because my son asked friends over at the last minute. One is a Texas boy – his theory is if it ain’t a cow – don’t eat it. Our Kentucky guy thinks beans in any dish shows an amazing lack of taste, possibly intelligence. Well guess what – everybody went back for seconds, even a couple of thirds. This chili proved to be iirrestibly delicious, plus lentils are very tiny and can hardly be counted as a bean. The finely minced vegetables, carrots, celery, onion, jalapenos, and garlic were barely noticed except for the sweet and savory flavors they imparted. The chocolate always provides that little something that makes chili taste incredibly rich and the whisky, well I’m from Tennessee, enough said. This chili, plus some warm cornbread and lots of fun toppings warmed us all through and through. Chili maybe great for camping out, but it sure was yummy made with real electricity in a warm house. Sigh of contentment….
Spicy Turkey, Vegetable, and Lentil Chili
Ingredients
1 lb ground turkey (could use beef, even pork)
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 onion, finely minced (* I used a food processor for mincing all the vegetables, see photo)
2 carrots, finely minced *
2 garlic cloves, finely minced *
1 jalapeno, seeded and finely minced *
2 stalks of celery, finely minced *
5 Tbsp chili powder
2 Tbsp cumin
1 Tbsp oregano
2 28 oz cans diced tomatoes, undrained
2 Tbsp tomato paste
2 cups chicken or vegetable broth
¼ cup chipotle sauce (or to taste)
1 cup dried lentils
1 oz semi sweet chocolate
¼ cup bourbon, optional
salt and pepper to taste (some chicken broths are very salty)
Directions
Heat a large Dutch oven or pot over medium high heat. Add oil.
Add turkey, breaking up meat as it browns, about five minutes.
Add vegetables – see note about chopping – and sauté until softened, about 5 minutes.
Stir in spices, chili powder, cumin, and oregano and cook for one minute.
Add tomatoes, paste, broth, and chipotle sauce. Stir to combine.
Add lentils, chocolate and bourbon.
Lower heat and simmer chili for at least 45 minutes and up to two hours adding liquid if needed.
Taste for salt.
Serve with fresh cilantro, diced onion and avocado, sour cream, grated cheddar cheese, and a squirt of lime juice. Hot sauce on the side of course!
