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Chili is a quintessential Fall recipe, isn’t it? Great for tailgating, Halloween parties, potlucks and the like. A steaming pot of chili is the perfect foil for a chilly evening. And there are so many recipes for chili. I like using poultry in mine, but cook it in the classic, beefy Texas style (my whole, trying-to-eat-only-animals-that-I-would-actually-kill-myself-if-I-lived-on-a-farm quest pretty much rules out all animals except for poultry and seafood… except sometimes I can’t help myself and make a really satisfying burger… with bacon.)
Puréed, pumpkin adds SO much to this dish without being discernable. Thick and silky with a background sweetness– not to mention the nutritional benefits– it’s a great way to sneak a super-healthy vegetable into your kids’ (or picky spouse’s) diet.
PS– While this recipe is not at all spicy (kid-friendly), I have added a quick recipe for spicy tomatoes that take seconds to make and can be tossed on top of the chili when served.
1 can light beer
1 small pie pumpkin
Non-stick spray
1 pound mild chicken sausage (or spicy, if you like)
1 pound ground chicken breast
2 Poblano chilies, seeded and diced (optional)
1 medium red onion, peeled and diced
2, 15 oz cans pinto beans, drained (or three cups prepared, dried beans– if you cook with dried beans, you’ll know how to do this. If not, use the canned)
1/4 cup masa flour (or all purpose flour)
28 oz can plain crushed tomatoes with juice
1/2 that can filled with water
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon dried oregano
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 tablespoon chili powder
1) Open the beer, take a sip and set aside. Pre-heat oven to 350F. Cut pumpkin in half, from stem to bottom, and scoop out the seeds and goop (fish out the seeds to toast, compost the goop). Place the cleaned pumpkin halves, cut side down, in a baking dish and roast for about an hour, until fork tender. Remove and set aside.
2) Spray a large Dutch oven (huge pot) with non-stick spray and set over medium-high heat. Squeeze the sausage from its casing into the pan and add in the ground chicken. Sauté, breaking up the meat as you go along, until almost done, then add in the poblano (if using) and onion. Carry on sautéing until onions are translucent.
3) Pile in the beans. Whisk the masa or flour into the beer and pour into the mess, then pour in crushed tomatoes, water and all the seasoning. Bring just to a simmer and stir. Scrap the soft flesh from the pumpkin shell and purée in a food processor (or mash until smooth with a potato masher). Add one cup of the puréed pumpkin into the chili and stir to combine. Any leftover pumpkin can be frozen.
At this point, I pour everything into a slow cooker set to low and let it gently cook for up to 4 hours. If you don’t have slow cooker, you should get one. Just kidding– that’s the mom in me (but you really should, they are useful for all sorts of things). You can just very gently simmer this chili for 30-45 minutes, or keep it covered over a very low heat, watching to make sure it doesn’t dry out.
Makes about 6 large bowls. Serve with spicy tomatoes (recipe below), grated cheese, green onions, sour cream, Fritos, and cold beer.
Quick, Spicy Tomatoes
1 large, ripe tomato, halved, seeds squeezed out, flesh diced
1 lime wedge
pinch of salt
1 teaspoon (a hefty squeeze) of Sriracha sauce
Squeeze the lime over the tomatoes, sprinkle salt and squirt in the Sriracha. Stir everything together and serve on top of chili for some kick!