Pumpkin Chili

Fall has officially hit. The leaves are golden and beautiful, the nights have a slight chill in the air, and everyone I know has a cold. With all its splendor comes a dead period for fresh fruits and vegetables... unless you know where to look.  In fall, I turn to one of my favorite varieties of fruits: squash.  Whenever you are shopping in your local market, these fruits might not stand out to you like the bright, shiny apples also in season but the culinary possibilities of squash should cause you to take a second look as you walk by.  Don't be afraid of their tough exterior and intimidating hard, bitter fleshy insides.  When properly prepared, these beasts of fall unleash a ton of flavor; for example, roasting them to top fresh greens with chevre and caramelized onion.  When added to dishes, they can enhance your dish to another level; risotto is my favorite.  I'm familiar with four basic squash types: zucchini, acorn, butternut, and of course pumpkin, which is the concern of this post.  Many people only are familiar with pumpkin of two types.  First, the nostalgic big guy that you cut up as a kid into scary faces and devious demons.  Second, the gross goop that comes out of a Libby's can to make tasteless pumpkin pie on Thanksgiving.  Please don't let these experiences deter you from exploring the possibilities of pumpkin.  There are few things I have found that pumpkin does not improve.  Add it to morning oatmeal with cinnamon and ginger for a fall twist, muffins for a moist improvement, or risotto for a nice texture contrast.  However, success is dependent, crucially dependent, on using either freshly roasted pumpkin (my favorite and a absolute must for pumpkin pie) or buying high quality canned pumpkin (which I did for this recipe despite my reservations).

I was out shopping this last weekend and some nice looking pumpkins caught my eye.  Eager to pop this baby in the oven, I reluctantly walked away because I didn't have time to properly roast the pumpkin, scoop out the flesh, and pulverize it in my tiny food processor.  But at this point, I had pumpkin in my blood and was craving something to satisfy this yearning.  I found some decent looking canned, but I wasn't prepared to take the leap by using it as a primary ingredient.  So standing in the meat aisle, I thought about which dish could use a little pumpkin mojo.  I looked up and saw ground turkey staring back at me. Then it hit me! "Eureka," I yelled as I ran down the aisle (not naked). Pumpkin chili. Chili is hearty enough and has enough punch from the spices to be able to stand up to pumpkin.  The wheels started turning in my head as I began to formulate some ideas for a recipe.  All in all, I was quite pleased with this new fall twist on a winter classic.  The pumpkin flavor did not overpower the rest of the ingredients, but it provided a silky texture and subtle smooth taste that balanced the heat nicely.

Recipe for Pumpkin Chili with Turkey

• 1 onion, diced
• 1 celery, diced
• 1 carrot, diced
• 2 lb ground turkey
• 2 bell peppers, diced
• 2 Tbl chili powder
• 1Tbl ground cumin
• 1 tsp chipotle powder (or fresh chipotle is even better)
• 2 tsp salt
• pepper
• 1 tsp oregeno
• 32 oz diced tomatoes (preferably San Marzano)
• 4 oz tomato paste
• 1 can of pumpkin (or fresh roasted but it is not as crucial in this recipe)
• 32 oz beans (I used half black and half kidney but feel free to play)

Add the first three ingredients to the pan and saute until half way done.  Add turkey and bell peppers and cook until turkey is not pink, being careful to break up the turkey into bite sized pieces. Add the spices and garlic. Stir for 30 seconds to activate the spices.  

Add the tomatoes, paste, and pumpkin and let simmer for 30 minutes. Add the beans, season to taste, and serve with a dollop of sour cream. Yum!

Enjoy. We have 20 lb of fresh picked apples so next post look forward to something with apples.