Matt's Red Turkey Chili

It's Fall, allegedly, so it's time to bust out some stews. It hasn't really cooled down much in Houston yet, but it's been raining constantly, so we can at least pretend to need a nice cozy pot of chili.

Like most Texans, Matt has a chili recipe. Like few Texans, Matt--god forbid--adds beans to his chili and--heaven help us--makes it with turkey instead of beef. The turkey is my fault--I'm not a beef eater--but fortunately, if you're incredibly offended, it's perfectly simple to sub in ground beef instead of turkey. The beans I can't help you with. If you're a purist, you may not deem to call this chili, but whatever it is, it's delicious.

Matt's Red Turkey Chili

10-12 mixed dried chiles – a mix of guajillo and ancho, with a few chiles de arbol

dash of agave syrup

3 lbs. ground turkey

2-3 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 large white onion, chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced

2-3 tablespoons tomato paste

1 teaspoon cumin

1 teaspoon Mexican oregano

dash of cayenne

4-6 cups chicken stock or water

1 12 oz. can diced tomatoes, drained

1-3 12 oz. cans of beans, drained – black, kidney, pinto, or a mix thereof

2-3 4 oz. cans diced green chiles, drained

masa harina (optional)

for serving

queso fresco, crumbled

Monterey jack cheese, shredded

sour cream

green onions, sliced

avocado, cubed

Note: As you can see from the ingredient list, this recipe is rather imprecise. Fortunately, chili is incredibly flexible. The reason nearly every Texan has their own chili recipe is because you can do a whole lot of different things and still turn out a chili. Good luck, you'll be great.

First, make a chile paste. Toast the dried chiles in a dry, hot skillet for 2-3 minutes, until the chiles puff slightly and you can detect an aroma; be mindful they don't burn. Remove skillet from heat and add water to cover the chiles. Soak for 30 minutes. Drain water and clean chiles by removing stems and seeds, rinsing under running water. Place chiles and approximately 1 cup water (enough to allow the chiles to blend) into blender along with a dash of agave syrup. Blend until smooth; set chile paste aside.

Divide up the ground turkey by rolling it into ½-inch balls. Season with salt and pepper.

Heat 2-3 tablespoons vegetable oil in large, thick-bottomed pot on medium-high heat. Add turkey and cooked until slightly browned. Add onion and garlic and cook an additional 5 minutes or so. Add 2-3 tablespoons tomato paste and cook until slightly browned, 1-2 minutes. Mix in chile paste, cumin, Mexican oregano, and cayenne. Cook until simmering.

Add 4-6 cups chicken stock (or water), diced tomatoes, beans, and green chiles. Bring to a boil.

Reduce heat to low and simmer or at least 1 hour and up to 4 hours. Add stock/water or masa harina as desired to thin or thicken the chili to the preferred consistency. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Serve with queso fresco, Monterey jack cheese, sour cream, green onion, and avocado. Enjoy.