Jamaican Curry Chili

Wash and dry the fresh produce. Medium dice the pita. Peel and small dice the onion. Small dice the sweet potato. Peel and small dice the turnip. Remove and discard the collard green stems; roughly chop the leaves. Drain and rinse the chickpeas. Pick the parsley leaves off the stems; discard the stems. To make the slurry, in a bowl, whisk together the cornstarch and ¼ cup of water.

In a large, high-sided pan (or pot), heat 2 teaspoons of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the pita; season with salt and pepper. Toast, stirring occasionally, 3 to 5 minutes, or until lightly browned and crispy. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate; immediately season with salt and pepper. Wipe out the pan.

In the pan used to make the croutons, heat 2 teaspoons of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the onion, sweet potato and turnip; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, 4 to 6 minutes, or until browned and slightly softened.

To the pan of vegetables, add the tomato paste and as much of the spice blend as you’d like, depending on how spicy you’d like the dish to be. Cook, stirring frequently, 1 to 2 minutes, or until fragrant and the tomato paste is dark red.

Add the collard greens, chickpeas, vinegar and 2½ cups of water to the pan; season with salt and pepper. Heat to boiling on high. Once boiling, add the slurry (whisking just before adding); season with salt and pepper. Reduce the heat to medium-high and simmer, stirring occasionally, 14 to 16 minutes, or until thickened and the sweet potato is tender. (If the chili seems too thick, add up to ¼ cup of water to achieve your desired consistency.) Remove from heat and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Divide the finished chili between 2 bowls. Garnish with the croutons and parsley. Enjoy!