Venison, sausage, black beans, and tomatoes make a fabulous chili topped with sour cream and papayas. Plan ahead to marinate deer overnight. If you like your chili spicy, feel free to add some chile peppers.
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 2 hours, 15 minutes
Total Time: 2 hours, 40 minutes
Ingredients:
- 1/2 pound dried black beans, rinsed and picked over
- 1-1/2 pounds venison stewing meat, cubed (1/2-inch pieces)
- 2 Tablespoons medium-hot chili powder
- 3 Tablespoons mild olive oil
- 1/2 pound hot Italian sausages, casings removed
- 2 cups chopped onions
- 2 Tablespoons minced garlic
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano, crumbled
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1-1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1-1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
- 1-1/2 teaspoons sugar
- 1 can (1 pound) Italian plum tomatoes, including the juices
- 3/4 cup dry red wine
- 1 cup beef broth
- 3 Tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 Tablespoons red wine vinegar
- Sour cream
- 2 medium-ripe papayas, peeled, seeded, and cubed (1/2-inch pieces)
- 1 cup sliced scallions, green part only
Preparation:
Place the black beans and 1 quart water in a large, heavy saucepan and soak overnight. Combine the meat with the chili powder and 2 Tablespoons of the olive oil in a bowl. Cover and refrigerate to marinate overnight.
Heat the remaining 1 Tablespoon olive oil in a Dutch oven or soup pot over medium-high heat. Working in batches, brown the venison on all sides, about 5 minutes per batch. With a slotted spoon, transfer the meat to a bowl. Crumble the sausage into the pan. Cook, breaking up the lumps with a fork, until the meat is no longer pink, about 3 minutes.
Stir in the onions and garlic, and cook for 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium. Stir in the oregano, cumin, salt, black pepper, and sugar and cook until aromatic, 2 minutes.
Stir in the venison, tomatoes, red wine, beef broth, and tomato paste. Bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer until the meat is very tender, stirring occasionally, about 1-1/2 hours.
Meanwhile, bring the beans to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to low and simmer until the beans are tender but not mushy, about 1 hour, adding more water if necessary to keep the beans covered. Drain well.
Degrease the chili, then stir in the beans and wine vinegar. Simmer 5 minutes. Adjust the seasoning, if necessary. This chili should be thick, but can be thinned with broth, if necessary.
Ladle the chili into large bowls. Top with sour cream, papayas, and scallions. Serve at once.
Yield: 4 to 6 servings
Recipe Source: Nicole Routhier's Fruit Cookbook by Nicole Routhier (Workman Publishing)
Reprinted with permission.
Heat the remaining 1 Tablespoon olive oil in a Dutch oven or soup pot over medium-high heat. Working in batches, brown the venison on all sides, about 5 minutes per batch. With a slotted spoon, transfer the meat to a bowl. Crumble the sausage into the pan. Cook, breaking up the lumps with a fork, until the meat is no longer pink, about 3 minutes.
Stir in the onions and garlic, and cook for 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium. Stir in the oregano, cumin, salt, black pepper, and sugar and cook until aromatic, 2 minutes.
Stir in the venison, tomatoes, red wine, beef broth, and tomato paste. Bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer until the meat is very tender, stirring occasionally, about 1-1/2 hours.
Meanwhile, bring the beans to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to low and simmer until the beans are tender but not mushy, about 1 hour, adding more water if necessary to keep the beans covered. Drain well.
Degrease the chili, then stir in the beans and wine vinegar. Simmer 5 minutes. Adjust the seasoning, if necessary. This chili should be thick, but can be thinned with broth, if necessary.
Ladle the chili into large bowls. Top with sour cream, papayas, and scallions. Serve at once.
Yield: 4 to 6 servings
Recipe Source: Nicole Routhier's Fruit Cookbook by Nicole Routhier (Workman Publishing)
Reprinted with permission.
