Chili of Forgiveness

Chili is forgiving. I learned just how true this is when I set out to make a big batch of a Mediterranean‑inspired chili. I couldn’t find ground dark‑meat turkey at the market, so I bought ground turkey breast. But when I took it out of the packaging, it was revoltingly mushy and I threw it out. Luckily, I had ground pork in my fridge (you can use either turkey or pork here). The recipe called for canned diced tomatoes, but I only had cans of whole tomatoes, so I used them. I hate peeling squash, so I’d bought peeled, cut butternut squash. Unfortunately, it was dried out, so instead of cooking in twenty minutes, it took upward of an hour.

After the squash was finally tender, I reached into the pantry for a can of white beans. What I found looked like mini versions of the cannellini beans the recipe called for. What the heck, I’d switched everything else, so I tossed them in with bravado. I served the chili to a group of friends, who all asked for seconds. But it taught me a big lesson: I should have planned better. If you’re prepared, you never have to depend on luck—or a forgiving recipe to get you through.

A small-to-medium butternut squash (about 1 1/2 pounds) will yield 4 cups of diced (3/4-inch) squash. You can also find it already peeled and cubed in many produce sections, but make sure it’s fresh looking, not dried out. You can also substitute sweet potatoes, which are easier to peel and cut. The chili will be sweeter but still delicious.