Ciapessoni Raisin Chili

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We finally had our first actual rainfall of the season this week and when that happens I usually make chili.  I have spent a considerable amount of time getting my recipe just right, the spice was very tricky for me and I recall a few batches that were so spicy, honestly, they were not edible.  Over time the recipe has continued to evolve to a point where I wrote it down and now after making a few batches this way, it has become something my family looks forward to in the fall.

The first thing you will need is the chili seasoning. combine the following ingredients into a bowl and mix them.

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  • 4 tablespoons of chili powder
  • 1 tablespoon coriander
  •  1 tablespoon of cumin 
  • 1 tablespoon of pepper 
  • 1 tablespoon of salt 
  • 1 tablespoon of garlic
  • Half a teaspoon of fennel seed
  •  2 teaspoons of ground oregano
  •  2 teaspoons of red curry powder
  •  2 teaspoons of paprika

This will make more seasoning than you will need, but I like to sprinkle it on bbq chicken.

Add the following into a 7 qt or bigger crockpot

  • 4 cans of black beans (drained, rinsed)
  • 2 cans of pinto beans (drained, rinsed)
  • 2 cans of kidney beans (drained, rinsed)
  • 3 cans of diced tomatoes (drained)
  • 2 cans of tomato sauce
  • 1/2 can of water
  • 2 tablespoons of seasoning
  • 1/3 cup of minced garlic
  • 1 - 2 cups of raisins

 

The next phase is the meat.  I like to cook the meat in a very large pan ahead of adding it to the crockpot.  It speeds up the cook time significantly and I feel like cooking the peppers this way turns out better.

  1. put a little olive oil in the pan
  2. add a handful of whole garlic cloves
  3. add 2 to 3 pounds of ground turkey
  4. add 2 chopped bell peppers
  5. add 2 chopped pasilla or poblano peppers
  6. half of a can of chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, rinse the peppers make sure you remove any seeds
  7. half a cup of chopped cilantro
  8. four large basil leaves chopped
  9. Sprinkle 6 tablespoons of the seasoning mix on top and mix it all in

 

Cook until the ground turkey separates and browns then add everything to the crockpot. 

At this point you can cook the chili for 4 hours on high or 8 hours on low in the crock pot. Taste a few times and add cayenne pepper if you want to give it a bigger kick.  Garnish with fresh cilantro, cheese, avocado, and sour cream.