I’ve been making chili for years, following my mom’s recipe and tweaking it over time to my tastes. Since meeting Jenn and cooking together, we’ve both continued to try to improve upon it with different ingredients and new methods. Last night we made the best batch of chili yet. It was so good, in fact, that I’m going to share the recipe with you.
2 tbsp olive oil
6 cloves garlic, chopped
1 lg onion, chopped
1 lb ground bison
1 lb ground chicken or turkey
2-3 large carrots, sliced
4 stalks celery, chopped
1 large red pepper, diced
1 20 oz can crushed tomatoes (no salt added preferred)
1 20 oz can black beans, rinsed (no salt added preferred)
1 12 oz can brown beans in tomato sauce
12 white or brown mushrooms, sliced
1 cup quick oats, ground in food processor
1 fresh lemon, juiced
1 fresh lime, juiced
2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1/2 7 oz can chipotle chillies in adobo sauce (chillies chopped, sauce reserved)
1/4 cup (50 g) dark chocolate
2 tbsp chilli powder
2 tbsp cumin
2 tbsp coriander
1 tbsp cayenne powder
1/2 tbsp smoked paprika
1 tsp salt
Heat oil in a large stockpot over medium-high heat. Add garlic and onion and saute until tender, about 5 minutes.
Add ground meats and stir until browned, about 10 minutes. Add carrots and celery and cook another 10 minutes until carrots soften.
Add red pepper, crushed tomatoes, black beans, brown beans with sauce, lemon and lime juice, Worcestershire, chipotles and reserved adobo sauce, spices and seasonings, and stir well. Add chocolate and stir until melted. Reduce heat to low and simmer 20-30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Stir in quick oats and mushrooms and simmer another 5-10 minutes, until mushrooms soften.
Served topped with a grated sharp cheese or a dollop of fat-free sour cream.
Makes 8 servings.
For a little extra flavor, you can also add 1 cup of your choice of dark (stout) beer after adding the chocolate and simmer an extra 20 minutes.