Wednesday, October 16, 2013
A robust chili that's on the table in just 30 minutes? Thanks to a blending of Hispanic and Asian flavors, it's easy.
Start with the base of an average turkey chili - some onions, jalapenos, garlic, ground turkey and white beans. But all those basics get a serious flavor boost from an unexpected ingredient - sweet white miso. It effortlessly amps the savory-salty flavor of anything it touches.
The chili is finished with corn kernels cut from the cob and just barely heated, preserving their fresh flavor and texture.
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 large yellow onion, diced
1 to 2 jalapeno chilies, finely chopped (for less heat, discard the inner ribs and seeds)
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon ground cumin
2 1/2 pounds (40 ounces) lean ground turkey
15-ounce can white kidney or navy beans, drained
1 quart low-sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup sweet white miso
6 ears corn, husks and silk removed (or 3 cups frozen corn kernels, thawed)
Salt and ground black pepper
2 limes, cut into wedges, to serve
Chopped fresh cilantro, to serve
In a large saucepan over medium-high, heat the oil. Add the onion, chilies, garlic and cumin, then saute until the onion is just starting to brown, about 8 minutes. Add the turkey and saute, breaking up any large clumps, until browned, about 10 to 12 minutes. Add the kidney beans, chicken broth and miso. Bring to a simmer, stirring often to dissolve the miso, then cook for 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, one at a time stand each ear of corn on its wide end. Use a serrated knife to saw down the length of the cob to remove the corn kernels. Add the corn to the chili, then return to a simmer and cook for another 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Serve with lime wedges and cilantro.