Oil Free Butternut Squash Chili or How I learned to tame the Ghost Peppers

Butternut Squash Chili with Ghost Peppers

3 carrots, 3 stalks celery, 1 onion, 6 cloves garlic, 4 stalks kale, 2 generous handfuls baby spinach, 1/2 butternut squash, 28 oz diced tomatoes, 28 oz tomato sauce, 6 oz tomato paste,  2 TBS chili powder, 1 TBS cumin,  1 TBS cayenne pepper, 2 TBS paprika, 2 TBS mesquite seasoning, 1 dried or fresh ghost chili pepper minus the seeds (wear gloves), 12 pitted dates, 1/2 cup red wine vinegar, 6 cups water, 1 TBS basil, 1 cup of dry red quinoa. 

Put all the veggies and the pepper into a food processor and grind them up to a course texture.

In a large pot bring 4 cups of water to a boil with the mesquite seasoning, add the tomato sauce, paste and diced tomatoes and everything else. Bring it to a boil, reduce the heat to let it simmer covered for 2 hours, stirring it occasionally.  If its too spicy, try adding more ground up dates or agave nectar.

The trick to using the Ghost Peppers is making sure there is enough sweetness to balance the heat. 

Heat is measured in Scoville Units which is a function of how much sugar it takes to neutralize the capsaicin which is what makes the peppers hot.

On this scale a Bell Pepper is 0 units. A Jalapeno is up to 10,000 units. A Habanero is up to 350,000 units.  

We're using the Ghost Chili (Bhut Jolokia) which is rated at 1,200,000 units.  That's why I stress using gloves and avoid touching your eyes.

Naga Jolokia (bhut jolokia, naga morich) Ghost Chili pepper is rated at over one million Scoville units.

By making the chili with butternut squash, carrots and dates, there is enough fructose in the pot to partially neutralize the heat from the pepper and leave the wonderful smoky taste.  I like to add the Mesquite to accentuate the smoky flavor. 

This chili is absolutely great!  I gave out samples to the staff at one of our Surgery Centers and every one of them wanted the recipe.  So here it is!  Enjoy!