Campfire Chipotle Turkey Chili

This chili recipe fed a hungry crew of campers this Memorial Day weekend with chili to spare. I didn't take any photos. So I'm cheating with a cookbook photo. It looked pretty much like that. 

 

Update: I remade a batch with my friend Allison and made sure to take some photos. Here they are! 

 

 

Ingredients

2 whole canned chipotle chilies in adobo* or 2 whole dried chipotle chilies**

1 c. water, boiling-hot if using dried chilies

2 lbs. fresh tomatillos** or three 18-oz. cans whole tomatillos*, drained

2 large onions, chopped

8 garlic cloves (omitted)

3 T. vegetable oil (EVO or coconut)

2 T. ground cumin

4 lbs. ground turkey (Ami actually used 3 lbs.)

2 c. chicken broth 

1 bay leaf (Ami used wild-foraged California bay leaf)

1-1/2 t. dried oregano, crumbled

2 t. salt, or to taste 

1 green bell pepper, chopped

2 cans (4-oz. each) mild green chilies, drained and chopped

1 T. cornmeal (Ami substituted tapioca starch) 

1 can (19-oz.) white beans (about 2 c.), rinsed and drained (Ami substituted 2 c. freshly cooked beans, half black and half white, using dried beans that were quick-soaked to minimize indigestible phytic acid) 

1/2 c. chopped fresh coriander (omitted because I just forgot it) 

Accompaniment: sour cream or Mexican crema

* available at Hispanic markets, some supermarkets, and by mail order from

Adriana's Caravan, Brooklyn, NY, tel. (800) 316-0820

** available at Hispanic markets, some supermarkets

Instructions 

If using canned chipotles, in a blender purée them with water and reserve purée.  If using dried chipotles, stem and see them (wear rubber gloves) and in a small bowl soak them in boiling-hot water 20 minutes; in a blender purée mixture and transfer to a small bowl.  (Ami used canned chipotles in adobo) If using fresh tomatillos, discard papery husks and wash tomatillos well; blanch fresh tomatillos in boiling water to cover five minutes and drain.  In blender purée blanched or canned tomatillos.

In a large heavy kettle cooked onions (and six garlic clothes, minced, --omitted) in oil over moderate heat, stirring, until onions are softened.  Add cumin and cook, stirring, 30 seconds.  Add turkey and cook, stirring and breaking up lumps, until meat is no longer pink.  Add chipotle purée, tomatillo purée, broth, bay leaf, oregano, and salt and simmer, uncovered, adding more water if necessary to keep turkey barely covered, one hour.  Stir in bell pepper, green chilies, and cornmeal (or tapioca starch) and simmer, stirring occasionally, 30 minutes.  Add white beans, fresh coriander, (remaining two garlic cloves, minced, --omitted) and salt to taste and simmer, stirring occasionally, three minutes, or until heated through. discard bay leaf.  

Chili may be made ahead; cool uncovered before either chilling covered up to three days, or freezing up to one week. 

Serve chili with optional toppings. 

Optional toppings: 

Sour cream or Mexican crema

Chopped fresh coriander

Shredded Mexican cheese

Chopped fresh red onion

Makes about 14 c., serving 6 to 8.

Note:

This recipe contains peppers, which are in the nightshade family, and therefore is not AIP.

Recipe source:  

Gourmet's Weekends: Seasonal Menus and Recipies for Casual Gatherings, by the editors of Gourmet Magazine, Toronto, 1995, ISBN 0-679-44568-4 

A delightful book I found in a church thrift bazaar.