Bloody Mary Chili

When I woke up this morning the temperature was in the single digits. As I stayed snuggled under the covers I thought about what we would have for dinner. I found the answer when I opened the Parade magazine in the newspaper.  Food Network Chopped judge Maneet Chauhan’s Slow-cooker Bloody Mary Chili was in the “What America Eats Celebrity Kitchen” section. I made it this evening and it is delicious! I love the addition of fresh grated ginger in the recipe. The ginger gives it a bit of an Asian twist which may account for the slightly sweet taste of the chili. I added the entire small can (6 ounces) of tomato paste because I end up throwing out the rest of the can if I don’t use it all in a recipe. I also added 1/2 teaspoon of sea salt. Here’s the recipe for you to enjoy this winter:

Slow-Cooker Bloody Mary Chili

By MANEET CHAUHAN

• SERVES 6
• ACTIVE TIME 20 min.
• TOTAL TIME 4 hr. 20 min.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 red onion, finely chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped
• 2 stalks celery, chopped
• 1½ lb ground turkey
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 2 Tbsp grated ginger
• 2 Tbsp tomato paste (I used the whole can)
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 (32-oz) bottle Bloody Mary mix (I used Mr. and Mrs. T’s Bold and Spicy)
• 1 (15-oz) can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 (15-oz) can pinto beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 (15-oz) can black or garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 cup chopped green onion, plus more for garnish
• 2 tbsp chopped cilantro, plus more for garnish
• 2 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp salt (if desired, this is my addition)
• Shredded cheddar cheese, for garnish
• Lime wedges, for garnish

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Add onion, bell pepper and celery; cook 4 minutes or until beginning to soften. Add turkey; cook 5 minutes, stirring with a spoon to crumble. Season lightly with salt and black pepper. Stir in ginger, tomato paste and garlic; cook 2 minutes or until fragrant.
2. Transfer mixture to a slow cooker. Stir in Bloody Mary mix, beans, green onion, cilantro, paprika and cumin. Cover and cook on high 4 hours or until thickened. Adjust seasoning as needed. Serve garnished with cheese, additional green onion, cilantro and lime wedges.

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