by Francesca Patterson
The holiday dedicated to giving, eating and family has finished for the year, and as usual, there are probably containers of leftovers from that dinner in your fridge. This recipe is for someone who may be a little burnt out from the thanksgiving flavors but still has a good amount of turkey meat they don’t want to see go to waste.
My mom has always made this chili for me and now it is definitely my preferred version of this dish. I love how the white kidney beans give this chili a lighter appearance and taste, while still creating that warm and comforting bowl. It’s the ideal cold-weather food, begging to be paired with a cozy blanket and a quality movie.
The main ingredients in this dish are fresh and bright vegetables like the ones you can find in this week’s CSA choices. There is one that I just recently found out I had been eating for so long in this chili despite previously thinking I didn’t like it at all. I am talking about fennel, which is actually a huge contributor to why this recipe is so good. Fennel is a vegetable that falls under the same family as carrots and parsley, a family of plants that are often utilized for their medicinal purposes. Fennel particularly is known for curing ailments having to do with stomach and gut health, as well as for lowering blood pressure. You will often find that fennel is steeped to be used in teas because it has a strikingly sweet and delicate licorice-like flavor. Another great way to eat fennel is just by slicing it up raw and simply dipping it in olive oil, salt, and pepper. This is perfect to warm up your taste buds during these cold winter weekends that are fast approaching.
INGREDIENTS
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1.5-2 lbs of turkey meat (shredded)
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1 cup fennel (diced)
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1 cup yellow onion (diced)
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1 cup bell pepper (diced)
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1 15oz can of cannellini beans (aka white kidney beans)
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1 cup stock (turkey, chicken, or vegetable)
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2 cloves of garlic (minced)
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1/2 tsp salt
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1 tsp of cumin
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2 tbsp olive oil
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sour cream, avocado (optional garnishes)
DIRECTIONS
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In a medium-sized pot, begin by heating onions and fennel for about 10-12 minutes or until they begin to turn golden brown. Add in bell pepper and cumin and cook them for another 4 minutes and then add in your garlic.
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Shred your leftover turkey meat into small pieces and set aside.
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Pour in your beans, broth, and salt and bring to a simmer. Using a potato masher, gently mash the beans. Add your shredded turkey and cook for another 3 minutes or until the sauce has thickened.I serve this with sour cream and avocado as garnish.Makes about 6 servings. Stores in the fridge for about 3 days.
