Leek Soup – Dina Avila, Photographer

Ok, not really. This is not a Valentine’s Day post, but it is a delicious one!

With the current circumstances in my world (caring for a healing friend), I’ve been on the lookout for recipes that would be great in large batches. Soups, stews and chilis. I’ve had chili on my mind since Adam and I spent a very wintry, blustery weekend in a little cabin on the coast last month. I was fighting a cold and the sea was angry and we spent our days playing games, sipping tea and watching Top Chef Texas. I suspect you can figure out where the chili part comes in.

Sadly I have no pictures of that weekend to share and I’m just too embarrassed to tell you what happened to them. Instead, as we go there every January for Adam’s birthday, I’ve shared a couple pictures from that little cabin on the coast. One of our most favorite places in the world.

This chili is delightful and versatile. It’s one of those meals that while eating it you think of all the variations and possibilities. The original recipe comes from this month’s Food and Wine, but I feel I’ve adapted it enough to (almost) call it my own.

Cheers!

Beety Turkey Chili

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Adapted from a recipe by Chef Art Smith in Food and Wine Magazine

If you like heat I suggest pumping it up. I have two jalepenos in the recipe, which I deseeded

worried that it would be too hot for my friend. I think the chili would

have been more interesting with the heat from the seeds.

I baked the beets for about a half an hour instead of a full hour. I wanted them to retain some firmness

before tossing them in to cook with the chili.

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1/4 cup olive oil

1 1/2 pounds ground turkey thigh

4 shallots, about 1 cup, coarsely chopped

4 garlic cloves, minced

2 teaspoons chili powder

2 teaspoons ground cumin

2 teaspoons dried oregano

2 teaspoons dried thyme

2 teaspoons smoked paprika

2 jalapenos, de seed and coarsely chopped

2 medium carrots, coarsely chopped

3 beets, baked and coarsely chopped

1 28 oz can of pureed tomatoes

4 cups cooked pinto beans, or 3 15 oz cans

3/4 cup beer or lager. I used Deschutes Red Chair

1 1/2 cup chicken stock

1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

Salt and pepper

In a large stock pot warm up half of the olive oil.

Add the turkey and cook until browned.

Remove the turkey and transfer to a bowl.

Warm up the rest of the olive oil in the stock pot and add the shallots.

Cook until softened and starting to brown.

Add the garlic and all of the spices and cook, stirring until fragrant.

Return the turkey to the pot and stir in the carrots, beets, jalapenos, tomato, beer and beans.

Bring to a boil and stir in the broth and vinegar.

Cover and simmer over low heat for about 45 minutes.

Season with salt and pepper and perhaps a few chunks of yummy bacon and serve hot.