Recipe 20: Spicy Pumpkin Chili

Spicy Pumpkin Chili + Hocus Pocus + one hurricane - school =
One very happy librarian!

Happy hurricane eve!  Unless you live anywhere else but the East Coast of the USA...as you were, the rest of you.  Are you holed up at home, with flashlights, candles, bottled water, wine and wands at the ready too?  Bring it, Sandy.  More hurricane school and work cancellations, but no damage, that is.  Enjoying the foliage that will probably be gone tomorrow, Blue and I decided to do some experimentation with fall flavors. This recipe is based on a recipe with no measurements but a delicious looking picture I found on Bon Appetit for suggestions of what to make with a can of pumpkin.  I'm pretty sure you can do anything you want here, and could theoretically make it veg if you use some tofu and up some of the other spices.  I also debated using black beans, and added kale.  I did use a precooked diced chicken andouille sausage; I think I'd recommend using a non-cooked sausage or ground beef (again, upping the spices) for the breakdown of the sausage, but really, I did enjoy it with what I used...I'm mostly pleased to have tried this experiment with canned pumpkin - it really is quite tasty!  Have fun with this and try some ingredients of your own; let me know how it turns out! Enjoy it with some Spanish wine, cheese, avocado, a daub of sour cream or Greek yogurt, and everyone's favorite Halloween movie while the power lasts: Hocus Pocus.  SISTERS!

Spicy Pumpkin Chili

Serves 4-6

Spicy Pumpkin Chili

Ingredients

Olive oil

1 package of spicy sausage (diced if precooked, if not, remove casing or finely chop)

1 onion, chopped

1 red pepper, diced

1 poblano pepper, diced 

2 Tbsp chili powder

1 tsp cumin

1/4 tsp cayenne (more or less to your spice preference)

1 can red kidney beans (14-16 oz), rinsed

1 can fire roasted diced tomatoes

1 can cooked pumpkin (NOT pie filling!)

2 c vegetable or chicken broth

1 bunch kale, torn (about 8-10 stems)

Directions

1.  Add oil to your Le Creuset and saute your sausage over medium high.  If it is raw meat, mostly cook through, and drain the fat before adding the onions.   If not, saute for two minutes or so before doing so.  Cook until onions begin to get clear.
2.  Add peppers and spices and saute for approximately five minutes.
3.  Add beans, tomatoes, pumpkin, and broth.  Stir to combine, cover, and bring to a boil.
4.  Reduce heat to low and allow the mixture to simmer for about 20 minutes.
5.  Add the kale, stir to incorporate, and let cook five more minutes.
6.  Remove from heat, and serve with any of or none of the following: a dollop of sour cream, Greek yogurt, shredded cheddar cheese, diced avocado, pepitas, a spicy bread, corn bread, beer, wine, a hurricane.