Habaneros are hot...

Well, I made a turkey and beef hybrid chili last night, complete with whole wheat cornbread and sharp cheddar bread bowls. YUM!!!

I started out by roasting my cubanelle, jalapeno and habanero under the broiler. Then I peeled, seeded and diced them. Started my 2/3 turkey and 1/3 beef mixture in my enameled cast iron pan, drained off the fat (the turkey gave off more than the beef did!) and started my base, starting my onions first then adding cumin, chili powder, granulated garlic, oregano, some freshly ground black pepper and let those get toasty and tasty. Added some minced garlic, then the meat went back in with some fire-roasted tomatoes, crushed tomatoes, and the three peppers.

I will add, at this point, that I did tempt fate. After I added the three peppers to the pot, I noticed one tinsy speck of habanero left on my finger, and I did eat it. It was hot, and it's a good thing I like spicy foods and had some milk right in the front of the refrigerator. My lips, however, were tingly for about 45 minutes. But it was a very flavorful morsel before the heat set in, and I believe the roasting was very good for developing the flavor of the pepper.

I let it simmer, covered, at this point for about an hour or so before adding the small red beans and pinto beans (drained and rinsed) and let that simmer all together for 45 more minutes.

My future adjustments will be: only use half a habanero or no habanero as Bryan doesn't like it quite as hot. (And I think this is a mild/medium borderline chili) I can always add some chipotle hot sauce or make a habanero sauce that I add only to my bowl. Also - one batch of dough could make 4 smaller breadbowls and serve it a little less like a bread bowl and a little more like how you would serve a chow mein sandwich. Unless the 4 lumps of dough will form a tall round rather than a wider flat round of dough before baking... then I'd have tall skinny bowls.

The cornbread is a different story. The adjustments I made this time around improved the moistness of the cornbread. (I made them in mini-loaf pans for extra crustiness too!) I think I will go with half wheat and half white flour next time, use half butter and half oil for additional flavor, and maybe increase the sugar just a bit and/or add some honey because I LOVE honey on cornbread. That's how I'm having my leftovers - chili topped with sharp cheddar and cornbread drizzled with some Orange Blossom Honey that I picked up while on vacation in Florida.

Okay - that's it for now. Back to my leftover chili for lunch before it gets cold!