Chad and Lara's Mexican Chili

Really good! A nice alternative to traditional chili. Kinda’ expensive ingredients, though.

Sausage:

• 1 1/2 tablespoons paprika
• 2 tablespoons minced garlic (abt 5 garlic cloves)
• 3 tablespoons dry red wine
• 2 tablespoons sherry or red wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon, rounded, ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon, rounded, ground coriander
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• Dash of salt
• 3/4 pound lean ground pork
• 3/4 pound ground turkey breast

Chili:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 cups diced onion (about 2 medium)
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 1 tablespoon finely minced garlic (abt 3 garlic cloves)
• 2 teaspoons dried oregano
• 1 1/2 chipotle chilies in adobo sauce, minced (from 7 oz can)
• 4 cans (15 oz.) black beans, rinsed and drained
• 3 cups chicken broth (2 14.5 oz cans)
• 1-1 1/2 cups water
• 2 (14.5 oz.) cans unsalted diced tomatoes
• 1/4 cup lime juice
• 1/4 cup very finely chopped cilantro
• Low-fat sour cream (optional)
• Sliced green onions (optional)
• Shredded cheddar cheese (optional)

To prepare sausage, combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

To prepare chili, heat oil in a large (6 qt.) pot over medium-high heat. Add sausage mixture; cook abt 7 minutes or until browned, stirring to crumble. Add onion, cumin, garlic, oregano, and chilies; cook abt 4 minutes or until onion is tender. (Note: you can freeze the remaining 8-10 chilies from the can in individual spots in an ice cube tray (and when frozen, put in zip lock bag) for future use)

Place 1 1/2 cups black beans and 1 cup broth in a food processor; process until smooth. Add pureed beans, remaining beans, remaining 2 cups broth, water, and tomatoes to pot with sausage mixture; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer, partially covered, 45 minutes or until slightly thick. Stir in lime juice and cilantro.

Ladle chili into bowls. Garnish each serving with sour cream, sliced green onions, and/or cheddar cheese, if desired.

Yield: 6-8 servings.