Chef Edwin Nazario of the Edison Club in Rexford is a defending chili champion.
He was last year's winner of the People's Choice Award for Zestiest Local Chili in the annual November chili cook-off benefit for the National Kidney Foundation.
This year's event is set for 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 15, at the Troy Atrium, and Nazario isn't ready to give up his crown.
His winning chili in last year's contest featured exotic peppers from India and Jamaica. "Zesty" might be understating it.
So how do you top that?
This year Nazario is creating an even spicier chili featuring blanched turtle meat, which he describes as "gamey in flavor but complemented well with basic spices and an exotic 20 bean blend."
If you go to this year's Chili Challenge you can sample Nazario's turtle chili along with entries from more than 20 Capital Region restaurants, including Yono's, Cafe Hollywood and BFS, which won the Best Vegetarian and Most Creative Chili categories last year.
You can also vote for your favorites, along with a panel of celebrity judges. The best chilis in five categories will be chosen.
Besides the chance to warm your innards, you'll be helping a good cause.
According to the National Kidney Foundation of Northeast New York, there are more than 100,000 people nationwide waiting for a life-saving transplant. You can register to be an organ donor by visiting www.donatelifenys.net.
Adult tickets are $15 in advance and $20 the day of the event, $5 for children under 12, Kids under 5 are free. Tickets are on sale now through Nov.15 at Price Chopper.
On the off chance you might not have turtle meat in your fridge, we invited Chef Nazario to share another of his chili recipes. He came up with a great vegetarian chili to make in the fall when pumpkins are plentiful.
Pumpkin and Black Bean Chili with Tofu
Courtesy of Edison Club Chef Edwin Nazario
Ingredients
2 large pumpkins
1/2 gallon vegetable broth
4 cans pumpkin puree
2 small diced carrots
2 green peppers diced small
2 red peppers diced small
4 stalks celery diced small
2 medium onions finely chopped
1 bunch cilantro
2 oz. chopped garlic (about 2 teaspoons)
2 cups chopped mushrooms
1 lb. tofu
2 chili peppers
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
4 oz. brandy
1 1/2 pounds of boiled black beans
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions
1. Peel the pumpkins and remove the seeds, take the seeds and wash them off then toss them in salt and oil. (EDITOR'S NOTE: For extra flavor, bake the pumpkin seeds on a cookie sheet at 350 degrees until they are lightly browned).
2. Chop the pumpkins into medium size cubes, then in a saute pan with oil saute the pumpkin till golden brown, then deglaze pan with brandy. (Add brandy to the pan off heat to avoid flambe.)
3. In a stock pot add the vegetable broth, pumpkin puree, brown sugar and the cubes of pumpkins and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer then take out and reserve half the pumpkin cubes.
4. Place the pumpkin broth in a food processor and process till smooth.
5. Place the smooth pureed broth in a stock pot and add the reserved pumpkin cubes, onions, garlic, peppers, carrots, celery, mushrooms and chili peppers.
6. Combine cubed tofu in the stock pot with the black beans and bring it to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until vegetables are done. Taste and season before serving. Use the pumpkin seeds as garnish, along with chopped fresh cilantro.
