Turkey and Black Bean Chili

I always look forward to that first cool night of the year, as it’s the perfect excuse to make a big pot of chilli for my family and friends. I use pasilla chilies in this recipe, which are a type of dried chili that add a great punch of heat. Look for them in the Latin section of your local grocery store or at specialty markets. Keep in mind that the prep time includes 24 hours for the beans to soak - plenty of time to invite your friends, rally your family, open a bottle of wine, and start the fire. 
 

Ingredients

Beans:

1 pound dried black beans, soaked in cold water for 24 hours

10 cups chicken stock or water

Spice Mixture:

4 teaspoons coriander seeds

1 tablespoon cumin seeds

1 tablespoon fennel seeds

1 teaspoon fenugreek seeds

6 dried pasilla chiles

1 tablespoon (about) kosher salt

2 teaspoons (about) freshly ground black pepper

1 1/2 teaspoons spicy smoked paprika

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Chili:

4 tablespoons canola oil

2 pounds ground turkey meat

1 1/4 pounds yellow onions, finely chopped (about 3 1/2 cups)

5 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1 fennel bulb, finely chopped

2 red bell peppers, seeded, finely chopped

3 1/2 pounds very ripe tomatoes, chopped

3 limes

1 1/2 cups (not packed) fresh cilantro, coarsely chopped

Beans:

500g dried black beans, soaked in cold water for 24 hours

10 cups chicken stock or water

Spice Mixture:

1 tablespoon coriander seeds

3 teaspoons cumin seeds

3 teaspoons fennel seeds

1 teaspoon fenugreek seeds

6 dried pasilla chillies

3 teaspoons (about) sea salt

2 teaspoons (about) freshly ground black pepper

1 1/2 teaspoons spicy smoked paprika

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Chilli:

3 tablespoons canola oil

1kg turkey mince

625g brown onions, finely chopped (about 3 1/2 cups)

5 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1 fennel bulb, finely chopped

2 red capsicum, seeded, finely chopped

1.75kg very ripe tomatoes, chopped

3 limes

1 1/2 cups (not packed) fresh coriander, coarsely chopped

Directions

PREP TIME
40
MINS
COOKING TIME
3
HRS
10
MINS
Serves
8
Make-Ahead:

The chili can be made up to 1 day ahead, cooled, covered, and refrigerated. Rewarm, covered, over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally. 

Make-Ahead:
The chilli can be made up to 1 day ahead, cooled, covered, and refrigerated. Rewarm, covered, over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally
To cook the beans:

Drain the soaked black beans and rinse with fresh cold water. In a large pot, combine the beans and chicken stock. Cover and simmer gently until the beans are tender but not mushy, about 11/2 hours. Remove from the heat and keep warm.

Meanwhile, to prepare the spice mixture:

Heat a heavy small sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the coriander seeds, cumin seeds, fennel seeds, and fenugreek seeds and toast the spices until they are fragrant, slightly golden, and beginning to pop, shaking the pan gently to jostle the spices, about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and cool.

Using a Bump and Grind, a mortar and pestle, or an electric spice grinder, grind the toasted spices into a powder. Transfer the ground toasted spices to a bowl.

Toast the chiles in the same sauté pan over medium heat until fragrant and beginning to darken slightly, turning as needed, about 2 minutes. Remove the chiles from the heat and cool. Grind the chiles into a powder.

Mix the ground chiles, 1 tablespoon of salt, 2 teaspoons of black pepper, the paprika, and cayenne pepper into the ground toasted spices. Set the spice mixture aside.

To make the chili:

Heat a heavy large frying pan over high heat until the pan is very hot. Add 2 tablespoons of the oil then the ground turkey. Cook, stirring to break up any large chunks, until the turkey is golden brown, about 10 minutes. Set aside.

Meanwhile, in a heavy 8-quart pot, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil over medium-high heat. Add the onions, garlic, and spice mixture and sauté until the onions soften, about 3 minutes. Add the fennel and sauté until softened, about 3 minutes. Add the bell peppers and sauté until softened, about 3 minutes. Add the beans and 2 cups of the bean broth to the vegetable mixture. Add the browned turkey. Stir in the tomatoes.

Bring to a simmer then reduce the heat to medium-low. Simmer gently uncovered until the tomatoes break down completely and the chili thickens, stirring occasionally, about 1 1/2 hours. Season the chili to taste with juice of 1 lime and salt and pepper.

Stir half of the cilantro into the chili. Cut the remaining 2 limes into wedges. Spoon the chili into serving bowls. Garnish with the remaining cilantro and serve with the lime wedges. 

To cook the beans:

Drain the soaked black beans and rinse with fresh cold water. In a large pot, combine the beans and chicken stock. Cover and simmer gently until the beans are tender but not mushy, about 11/2 hours. Remove from the heat and keep warm.

Meanwhile, to prepare the spice mixture:

Heat a small heavy sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the coriander seeds, cumin seeds, fennel seeds, and fenugreek seeds and toast the spices until they are fragrant, slightly golden, and beginning to pop, shaking the pan gently to jostle the spices, about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and cool.

Using a mortar and pestle or an electric spice grinder, grind the toasted spices into a powder. Transfer the ground toasted spices to a bowl.

Toast the chillies in the same sauté pan over medium heat until fragrant and beginning to darken slightly, turning as needed, about 2 minutes. Remove the chillies from the heat and cool. Grind the chillies into a powder.

Mix the ground chillies, 3 teaspoons of salt, 2 teaspoons of black pepper, the paprika, and cayenne pepper into the ground toasted spices. Set the spice mixture aside.

To make the chilli:

Heat a large heavy frying pan over high heat until the pan is very hot. Add 1 1/2 tablespoons of the oil then the turkey mince. Cook, stirring to break up any large chunks, until the turkey is golden brown, about 10 minutes. Set aside.

Meanwhile, in a heavy 8 litre pot, heat the remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons of oil over medium-high heat. Add the onions, garlic, and spice mixture and sauté until the onions soften, about 3 minutes. Add the fennel and sauté until softened, about 3 minutes. Add the capsicums and sauté until softened, about 3 minutes. Add the beans and 2 cups of the bean broth to the vegetable mixture. Add the browned turkey. Stir in the tomatoes.

Bring to a simmer then reduce the heat to medium-low. Simmer gently uncovered until the tomatoes break down completely and the chilli thickens, stirring occasionally, about 1 1/2 hours. Season the chilli to taste with juice of 1 lime and salt and pepper.

Stir half of the coriander into the chili. Cut the remaining 2 limes into wedges. Spoon the chilli into serving bowls. Garnish with the remaining coriander and serve with the lime wedges.