Chili, chocolate and warm spring nights

As much as warm weather inspires me to eat cooler meals, it also inspires me to eat spicy foods. The spicier, the better -- anytime, really. For spring and summer, I just figure, hey, I'm already kind of sweaty, why not eat something hot too? (Actually, that's kind of gross.)

Maybe it's because spicy foods go so darn well with margaritas, mojitos and ice-cold beer. Like I need an excuse to down one of those!

This is my own (healthy) chili recipe, formulated from much experimentation about what I like. Good chili is all about the balance of flavors - acid from the tomatoes, heat from the chili powder (and chopped green chilies, in this case) and kernels of sweet corn for cool relief. Chili needs to be hot on the surface, but have depth of flavor as well. And for this recipe, that's where the chocolate comes in.

In Cincinatti, the chili comes chock full 'o cinnamon, and that sounds a little disgusting to me. But if you add a small square (or more) of dark chocolate to your chili, the sugar balances out the tomatoes' acidity and gives your chili a lovely, smoky brown color. Just a warning - the more chocolate you add, the more salt you'll have to add as well.

I'm not a fan of pre-seasoned chili mixes because they're mostly made of salt. I prefer chili powder, which can be found in the spice section of your grocery store. After serving yourself a bowl of this chili, feel free to add a dollop of light sour cream, shredded cheddar and chopped fresh cilantro. The best news? This chili can be cooked and on the table in 20 minutes.

Chocolate Turkey Chili

Ingredients:
- 1 pound ground turkey breast
- 1/2 onion, chopped
- 1 can black beans, rinsed
- 1 can kidney beans, rinsed
- 1 28 oz. can diced tomatoes, undrained
- 1 small can chopped green chilies
- 1/2 cup frozen corn kernels (no need to thaw beforehand)
- Chili powder and sea salt to taste
- 1/5 bar good-quality dark chocolate (65% or more cacao)

Instructions:

In a large nonstick saucepan or Dutch oven over medium heat, brown the turkey and onions with a little olive oil. Add the next five ingredients, adding water if mixture looks too chunky. Stir in at least 1/2 tablespoon of chili powder and taste for heat level. Add more chili powder if necessary. Bring mixture to a boil and add chocolate, stirring constantly after the chocolate addition. Let mixture simmer over medium-low to medium heat for 10 minutes, and taste before adding salt at the end. (Since some of the water cooks out, adding salt earlier could result in a saltier end result.) Ladle into bowls and serve.