Tina's Turkey Chili

• Recipe by Tina Ujlaki

Ingredients

1. 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2. 1 bunch scallions, sliced 1/2-inch thick
3. 1 medium red bell pepper, finely diced
4. 1 large poblano, finely diced
5. 2 garlic cloves, minced
6. Salt and freshly ground pepper
7. 3 pounds ground turkey
8. 1/3 cup pure ancho chile powder
9. 3 tablespoons ground cumin
10. One 28-ounce can tomato sauce (3 cups)
11. 3 cups water
12. 5 thyme sprigs
13. 2 canned chipotle chiles in adobo, stemmed and minced
14. 2 tablespoons stone-ground cornmeal
15. 2 imported bay leaves
16. 1 teaspoon dried oregano, crumbled
17. Two 15-ounce cans black beans or pink beans, drained (3 cups)
18. Shredded Cheddar cheese, chopped cilantro, sour cream and warm corn tortillas, for serving

Directions

1. Heat 1 1/2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large heavy casserole. Add the scallions, bell pepper, poblano and garlic, season with salt and pepper and cook over moderately high heat, stirring, until softened, about 5 minutes. Scrape the vegetables onto a plate.
2. Add the remaining 2 1/2 tablespoons of olive oil to the casserole. Add the turkey, season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring to break up the meat, until nearly cooked but still slightly pink, about 4 minutes. Add the chile powder and cumin and cook until the liquid evaporates, about 5 minutes longer. Add the tomato sauce, water, thyme, chipotles, cornmeal, bay leaves, oregano and cooked vegetables and bring to a boil. Partially cover and cook over moderately low heat, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is slightly reduced and the meat is tender, about 45 minutes. Add the beans, season with salt and pepper and simmer 10 minutes longer. Serve in deep bowls, passing the cheese, cilantro, sour cream and tortillas on the side.