Litchfield Chili

Although catalogs and emails are bombarding us with “New Spring Arrivals” – winter still has a firm foothold on the Berkshires. It seems that every-other-day we get a new coating of un-forecasted snow, as we’ve grown too complacent to worry about slick and icy weather. I’m not a gambler, but I’d be willing to bet that on February 2nd, Punxsutawney Phil WILL see his shadow and predict six more weeks of winter. At least that’s MY prediction, and I’m not willing to put away my scarf and gloves just yet.

There’s no dish that exudes warmth like a bowl of chili The Berkshires are full of restaurants offering daily iterations of steaming hot concoctions. For some reason, armchair quarterbacks across the nation seem to crave Tex-Mex food on SuperBowl Sunday and dutiful hosts serve up platters of nachos and chili. This recipe is for you!

LITCHFIELD CHILI

This healthy chili recipe has the right balance of meat, beans and a load of vegetables to satisfy even the pickiest Super Bowl fans! You can make some colorful variations depending on the type of beans you use and the color of bell peppers – maybe you could honor your favorite team with a special combination!

Olive oil
1½ pounds of lean ground meat (beef, pork, veal, turkey or a combination)
1 onion, chopped
1 bell pepper (red or green), seeded and chopped
3 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 large bunch of kale, tough stems removed and discarded, leaves roughly chopped
1 tablespoon cornmeal
1 tablespoon chili powder*
1 tablespoon powdered cumin
2 teaspoons dried oregano
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon pepper
28 oz. can of whole peeled tomatoes (crushed by hand)
1 small can of beans, rinsed and drained (black beans, red kidney beans, or white cannellini beans)
1 cup frozen corn kernels
1 1/2 cups stock (chicken, beef or vegetable)
Lime wedges, grated cheese, sour cream, and corn chips for serving

In a large stock pot, sauté the meat in a little olive oil until browned throughout. As the meat cooks, break it up with a wooden spoon so the pieces remain small. Remove the meat with a slotted spoon and set aside.

In the drippings that remain in the pot, sauté the onion, bell pepper and garlic for about 5 minutes until soft. Add in the kale and sauté for about 2 additional minutes until the kale begins to soften. Remove from the heat, add in the cornmeal and stir well. The cornmeal will help thicken the chili and give it great flavor.

Return the meat to the stockpot and add in the spices (cumin through pepper) and the tomatoes. Stir well to combine.

Add in the beans, corn kernels and stock, stir to combine well and bring to a simmer. Cook for 30-40 minutes on low heat. Serve with the topping of your choice and some corn chips on the side.

Don’t use packets of pre-made chili seasoning as these have many additives, including a high dose of sodium and many chemicals. If you don’t have any “chili powder” on hand, it’s easy to make your own blend by combining: 1 teaspoon each of paprika, cayenne pepper, oregano; and 2 teaspoons each of ground cumin and garlic powder. Store any extra in an airtight container. If you use your own blend you can omit the extra cumin and oregano in this recipe.

Remember – always have a bowl of BerkshireStyle chili ready when friends drop by to help chase the winter blues away!