As promised, here is the first of several favorites from our Zany Test Kitchen party. Chili is very popular in our house, and a great go-to dish that everyone can enjoy with very little substituting for various allergies. When my husband’s aunt Virginia made this for us last fall during a visit to her home in Vermont, we all had second helpings. She used ground beef and served it over rice–perfect for a crisp fall day in New England when appetites are hearty. In our attempt to make it a little less “rib-sticking” and also friendly for friends with allergies to beef, Anna and I swapped in ground turkey and served up the chili in lettuce cups.

While this dish doesn’t exactly photograph well–and really, what chili recipe does?–it makes up for its lack of physical beauty with amazing flavor. Little surprise additions like olives, capers and golden raisins make it fun for kids to get involved in the cooking process. No wonder both Anna’s son, Max, and my daughter, Charlotte, went back for seconds and thirds during the party, deeming this dish “Max & Charlotte Approved!”

ingredients

¼ cup olive oil

2 onions, chopped

3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced

1 ½ lbs. ground turkey

1 tsp oregano

1 tsp cumin

1 bay leaf

salt and pepper to taste

2 cups tomatoes, chopped

1 Tbsp cilantro, chopped

½ cup golden raisins

¼ cup olives stuffed with pimientos (about 5-6)

2 tsp capers, drained

Whole butter lettuce or endive leaves, trimmed and washed

In a large pan, heat the oil over medium heat, then add the onions and garlic, and sauté until the onions soften and turn translucent, about 2-3 minutes. Add the ground turkey and cook until brown, about 5 minutes. Be sure to break up the meat as you cook it. Add the oregano, cumin, bay leaf, salt and pepper. Cook for a minute or two, then lower the heat to medium. Add the tomatoes, cilantro, raisins, olives and capers, lower the heat and simmer for 20 minutes. Before serving, pull out the bay leaf.

 Serve in lettuce cups or over rice or quinoa for an extra hearty meal. Or make it extra fancy and serve the chili in small endive leaves at a party.

Serves 6

Prep time: 20 minutes

Total time: 50 minutes