This recipe came to me from a friend, I had been craving some hearty chili for the cold weather and this is what he sent me.
Jump to RecipeIt doesn’t take a private investigator to see that I love using yams in my recipes, so this will be right on par with my usual table fare. Yes… I will still call them sweet potatoes in the title because, well, Google doesn’t like to send people here unless I call them sweet potatoes.
This recipe, much like my others is not really a quick and easy one. It’s going to take some time and require you to fire up your oven to roast some tasty peppers and garlic. I was surprised to find that this was the first time I had ever roasted garlic… You’d think that was something I would have mastered long ago, but here we are, taking on the challenge.
The last thing I will mention before you dive into this recipe is to bring up one ingredient that some may not be used to: hominy. It is a food product used in Mexican cuisine that is made from maize (corn). It is different from the ubiquitous sweet corn we are used to in Minnesota in that it is not something you can eat right off the cob. This corn undergoes a chemical process called nixtamalization that removes the hull and germ, causing the grain to swell to about twice its normal size. It is the main ingredient in masa which makes tortillas and tamales. Luckily, we don’t have to do this process at home and can simply buy a large can at the supermarket. Make sure not to skip this ingredient as it complements this dish quite well.
Yum
Sweet Potato Chorizo Chili
A warm and hearty chili to fill the void in your life
Ingredients
- 2 large yams
- 1 whole head of garlic yes I'm serious
- 2 poblano peppers
- 2 Anaheim peppers
- 4 tbsp vegetable oil divided
- 1 lb uncooked chorizo
- 1 white onion diced
- 1 tbsp cumin
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- ¼ tsp ground cinnamon
- 2 cups chicken stock
- 1 14.5oz can fire-roasted diced tomatoes
- 4 chipotle peppers in adobo canned
- 1 15oz can black beans drained, rinsed
- 1 25oz can Hominy
- 4 tbsp tomato paste or the whole 6oz can
- 1 avocado
- 2 Limes juiced
- salt and pepper to taste
- queso fresco, crumbled for serving
- fresh chopped cilantro for serving
- fresh sliced radish for serving
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 400°F Line a baking sheet with foil/parchment paper
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Cut top off of garlic head, poke holes in the skin of the yams with a fork, then place both on baking sheet along with poblano and Anaheim peppers. Drizzle oil over the top (about 2 tbsp), making sure to get everything covered. Roast for 30 minutes, then remove from oven and allow to cool.
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Meanwhile, in a large pot over medium heat, cook chorizo until browned, breaking apart like you would ground beef, about 5 minutes. Once the chorizo is browned, add in the onions and remaining oil (2tbsp) and cook until onions are translucent.
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Stir in the cumin, smoked paprika, and cinnamon. continue to cook for about a minute until fragrant, then add in the chicken stock. Bring this to a boil.
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Once the yams are cool enough to handle, peel the skins off using your hands, remove the stems and seeds from the peppers. Chop the yams into bite sized pieces.
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Using a food processor or blender, combine the roasted garlic (squeeze it out of the papery exterior), 1 poblano, 1 Anaheim pepper, the chipotle peppers, and the diced tomatoes. blend until well-combined. Pour mixture into the large pot and bring back to a boil.
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To the large pot, add black beans, hominy, tomato paste, and chopped yams. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 30 minutes covered. Taste and season with salt and pepper as needed.
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While the chili simmers, use your food processor or blender again to combine the remaining peppers, avocado, and lime juice until smooth. This will be a crema that you use as a topping.
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Serve the chili warm with your crema, queso fresco, chopped cilantro, and sliced radish.