Fennel + Shiitake Turkey Chili, w/Sunchoke “Croutons” + Avocado Relish

Chili is the perfect “dinner-in-a-bowl” for cold winter nights.  The great thing about chili is that it’s a make-a-lot-of dish that will feed my very hungry husband for at least a couple of meals, and it tastes even better the next day.   Also, chili is great for a casual party like, say, Superbowl Sunday.  Sadly, chili disappeared for a while from our dinner repertoire when we began eating paleo, because my old recipe involved beans, corn, and maple syrup, none of which we eat anymore.  This winter, I thought I would conceive a new, paleo-friendly chili — and so I experimented with fennel, hoping fennel would add a nice texture as well as some sweetness to the chili.  I also cooked up sunchokes (aka Jerusalem artichokes) to make some “crouton-like” garnish for texture and an avocado relish to cut the heat.  The result is our new paleo chili, which we are sure to enjoy throughout the winter!  We loved the fennel in the chili, and the sunchokes added a lovely earthiness.

FENNEL + SHIITAKE TURKEY CHILI w/SUNCHOKE CROUTONS + AVOCADO RELISH

INGREDIENTS

• 3 lbs. ground turkey (we prefer dark meat)
• 3 red onions, diced
• 5 cloves of garlic, minced
• 2 fennel bulbs, halved, corded, then sliced into about 1/4 in. pieces (**also, keep and chop finely the green parts — the fennel tops)
• 1/2 lb. shiitake mushrooms, thinly sliced
• 4 tbsp chili ancho
• 1 tbsp chili chipotle
• 3 tbsp cumin
• 1 cup white wine
• 4 cups chicken stock + 1 cup water
• 25 oz. crushed tomatoes (in glass jar)

AVOCADO RELISH

• 3 avocados, chopped into cubes
• 1/2 red onion, finely minced
• 1/2 bunch of cilantro, chopped
• Juice of 2 small limes

SUNCHOKES

• 1 lb. sunchokes, peeled and chopped into 1/2 in. cubes

In a dutch oven (or large pot) on medium high heat, drizzle some olive oil and saute the garlic and onions.  Salt the onions to let them sweat.

When the onions soften a little, add the mushrooms.

Once the mushrooms soften a little, add the spices (ancho, chipotle, cumin).  Mix well and cook for about 2 minutes.

Next, add the white wine and de-glaze the bottom of the dutch oven.  Cook until the wine is reduced.

Add the turkey.  Mix well.

Add the chicken stock, water, and tomatoes.  Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes.

WHILE THE CHILI IS SIMMERING — make the avocado relish and the sunchoke “croutons.”

For the avocado relish: Mix the ingredients together (as outlined above), season with salt and pepper to taste.

For the sunchoke croutons: Drizzle olive oil in a skillet (about 1 tbsp) and pan-fry the sunchoke cubes until they are cooked and browned; season with salt and pepper.  Set aside on a plate over a paper towel (to absorb excess oil).

BACK TO CHILI —

After the chili has simmered for 30 minutes, add the fennel.  Mix and cook for another 30 minutes.

Taste and add salt as necessary.   Add the fennel tops (green part), finely chopped.  Cook for another 15 minutes or so.

Ladle the chili into a bowl, and top with a sprinkling of the sunchoke “croutons” and a dollop of the avocado relish.  Take a spoon, dig in and enjoy (be careful, it will be hot)!

Tags: party ideas, turkey