Robbins Blog

Texas Turkey Chowder

Having lived on ALL coasts, here is something to create the day after T-Day that is not your typical soup (not that I don’t love a turkey soup). The addition of white wine versus beer and black beans vs kidney (or no) beans is a hat tip to my western friends.  Calling it chowder to my east coast friends.  Making it chili style is all Texas….

Ingredients:

• Some oil
• Some turkey (I use dark meat) – 1-2 lbs or whatever you have
• 2 cans of crushed tomatoes (diced is okay too)
• I can of tomato paste
• I can of black beans
• 1 good size onion
• Chili mix (package or make your own) *
• A bell pepper or two (I use orange and red)
• Some white wine (no doubt all of my friends have this)

* A responsible chili mix:

• 1/2 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 2 tablespoons chili powder (chipotle best)
• 1/2 teaspoon Spanish paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon onion salt
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper

Okay, simple procedures.

Chop the onions add it a stockpot that has some (teaspoon or two) oil in the bottle   Sauté/sweat until you get that nice smell (you know…).  Add in some chopped turkey (thigh meat is great, take some from the drum too if you have a household that doesn’t eat them (like mine).  Add cut up peppers.  Add 1/3 of the chili mix.  Stir that around for 2-3 minutes.  Add tomatoes, tomato paste, beans and another 1/3 of the chili mix.  Add some wine to make it chili/chowder consistency.  Simmer covered for 30-45 minutes or as long as you can stand.  Add the rest of seasoning and stir.  Add more wine if needed but likely you can just drink it (did I have to wrote that part?).  Cook another 10 minutes with the lid off.  Taste for seasoning.

Ladle it in a bowl, add some grated cheese (cheddar) and sour cream as desired.  Serve with whole grain tortilla chips.  Enjoy while recovering from shopping hell.