Chile De Pavo
Makes 8 One Cup Servings; approximately 308 Calories per Serving
2 pounds lean ground turkey*
7 cups defatted chicken stock- in all
2 cups chopped onions
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped green bell pepper
2 teaspoons finely chopped jalapeno peppers** , in all
4 tablespoons Chef Paul Prudhomme's Poultry Magic - in all
1 tablespoon minced garlic, in all
2 teaspoons ground cumin, in all
2 teaspoons minced canned chipotle peppers in adobo, in all.
...Use the "mild" version for less heat.**
2 teaspoons minced dried ancho peppers **, in all
1 and 1/2 teaspoons minced dried guajillo peppers**, in all
5 tablespoons yellow cornmeal
* Ask your butcher to trim and grind fresh turkey breasts that you select from his case for the leanest possible ground turkey.
** Don't let the peppers intimidate you. Most produce departments carry fresh jalapenos and several dried varieties. Mexican markets have a larger selection. Use whatever is available in your area. You can substitute any combination of fresh and/or dried peppers. Go slow and taste as you
go along, because this chili heats up pretty fast. Let your taste be your guide.
Heat Oven to 350 degrees.
Place one dried guajillo pepper and one dried ancho on a cookie sheet or baking pan and roast until all moisture is gone and peppers are very dry, about 10 minutes. Finely mince each pepper separately and set aside in separate cups. Mince enough chipotles to make 2 teaspoons and set that
aside.
Place a 6 quart pot over high heat, and add the onions, celery, bell pepper and 2 tablespoons of the Poultry Magic. Stir and add 1 teaspoon of the jalapenos. Cook, stirring occasionally, about 7 minutes, until bottom of pot is covered with a brown coating that sticks hard. Add 3/4 cup
chicken stock, scrape up bottom of pot and continue cooking, stirring and scraping occasionally, for 7 minutes. Add the ground turkey and cook 4 minutes, breaking up meat as it browns. Cover and continue cooking over high heat for 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, thoroughly combine 1 teaspoon each guajilla and chipotle peppers, 1 teaspoon ground cumin, and 2 teaspoons minced garlic and 1 teaspoon ancho peppers. Add this mixture to the pot and stir in thoroughly, breaking up all the turkey as you do. Re-cover the pot and continue cooking
another 5 minutes. Remove the cover and add another 1 tablespoon Poultry Magic and the cornmeal, mixing in thoroughly. Continue cooking another 8 minutes over high heat, stirring and scraping hard at the brown coating on the bottom of the pot.
In a small bowl, combine the remaining 1 teaspoon each of the cumin, minced garlic, jalapenos, 1 teaspoon anchos, 1 teaspoon chipotles, and 1/2 teaspoon guajillo. Add this mixture to the pot, the remaining 1 tablespoon Poultry Magic and 2 and 1/4 cups chicken stock, stirring and scraping
hard at the bottom of the pot. Cook another 10 minutes, stirring and scraping frequently. Be sure to keep your eye on the pot and scrape often or your chili may burn! Add 1 cup of stock and cook, stirring, 5 minutes. Now add the remaining cups of stock, cover the pot and bring to a
boil. Uncover, stir and scrape well, then re-cover, turn heat very low and simmer 20 minutes.
Copyright by Chef Paul Prudhomme
