This recipe can be done in as little as an hour if you use the shortcuts, but I do prefer it cooked with the dry ingredients slow and low. Either way works well. Serve your chili with cornbread, rice or crusty bread.
4 to 6 dried guajillo or New Mexican chiles, stemmed and seeded
OR 3 tablespoons paprika
Salt
1 to 2cupscooked corn kernels(1 cup dry if using)
2 to 3cupscooked black beans, or 2 15-ounce cans
GARNISHES
1cupshredded cheese
1/2cupchopped cilantro(optional)
Instructions
If you are using dried corn and dried beans, soak them in water overnight. The next day, you can either cook them with the chili, which will increase cook time to about 6 hours, or you can cook the corn and beans separately, which will take about 3 hours; the acid in the chili will drastically slow the cooking of the beans.
If you are using the dried chiles, about 30 minutes before you plan on starting the chili, put the chiles in a bowl and pour boiling water over them to rehydrate.
Heat the bacon far or oil in a large pot like a Dutch oven over high heat and, when it's almost smoking, add the ground turkey. Sear the turkey over high heat without touching it for a couple minutes, then stir and repeat that process until the meat is cooked and has some nice brown marks.
Stir in the onion and green pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic, chili powder and cumin and cook for 2 minutes more.
Pour in crushed tomatoes and stock and stir well. If you are using the dried chiles, buzz them into a puree in a blender and add to the chili. If you are using the paprika, add it now. Stir well and add salt to taste.
If you are using the dried corn and beans and want to cook them in the chili, add them now, along with another quart of water; it'll cook down over time. Simmer the chili until the corn and beans are tender, which will take several hours.
If you are using fresh or frozen corn and canned beans, thaw the corn and rinse the beans. Let the chili simmer for 30 minutes, and then add the corn and beans and cook another 15 minutes. Serve with the garnishes once everything's nice and tender.
Notes
NOTE:Cook time reflects canned or frozen ingredients, not dried ones, which will take longer to cook.