Kitchen Sink Chili

Total Time: 45 mins Preparation Time: 15 mins Cook Time: 30 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 8
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large green pepper, chopped
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 lb ground beef or 1 lb ground turkey or 1 lb crumble tofu
• 2 garlic cloves, diced
• 2 jalapeno peppers, diced
• 2 (14 1/2 ounce) cans diced tomatoes
• 1 (15 ounce) can kidney beans, drained
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1 -2 bay leaf
• 1/4 cup marinara sauce
• 1 tablespoon worcestershire sauce (or vegetarian substitute)
• 1/4 cup espresso
• 1 tablespoon double concentrated tomato paste (comes in a tube) (optional)
• 1 ounce dark chocolate, chopped (at least 71%)
• 2 tablespoons chili powder
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon coriander
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne powder
• 2 teaspoons oregano

Recipe

• 1 heat the olive oil in a large dutch oven, on medium.
• 2 add the onion and pepper, and saute until the onions are starting to turn translucent.
• 3 break up the beef and add it to the dutch oven.
• 4 when about half of the meat is browned, add the jalapeño and garlic.
• 5 continue to cook until all of the meat is browned. i usually use ground turkey or very lean beef, so i don't bother to drain it. but, if you want to, now is the time to drain off the fat and oil.
• 6 add the diced tomatoes, kidney beans, brown sugar, bay leaves, and marinara sauce and stir.
• 7 stir in the worcestershire sauce and espresso.
• 8 if you prefer a thick chili (like me), add the tomato paste.
• 9 stir in the chocolate, coriander, cumin, cayenne, and chili powder (that's a lot of c-words!). cook for at least 15 minutes. after the 15 minutes, add more chili powder (or cayenne, or hot sauce) if it isn't spicy enough for you.
• 10 add the oregano in the last 5 minutes of cooking so that it doesn't get bitter.
• 11 this, like most chili, is better the next day, or when it's been simmering all day. and you have only one pan to clean!