When we picked up breakfast sausage from Mill Brook Farm while we were on our vacation adventure in the White Mountains, we knew we wanted to split the package up and use it in two ways. The first was Breakfast Burgers, and this is the other. We began by borrowing a page from our Coffee and Molasses Chili Recipe…because coffee is an integral breakfast component! We then rounded out the sauce with a quart of our Canned Tomatoes and a generous pour of maple syrup.
Next, we had to think about our heat level and how to build to it. Since we have had great success with Maple/Chipotle pairings in the past, we decided to crack open a can of Chipotle Chilies in adobo sauce and infuse the distinct sweetness of the maple syrup with the smokiness and spice of the chipotle chilies.
The next decision to make was how to build body into the chili. Normally, we do this via a combination of onions, peppers, and beans…but we just weren’t feeling beans in this dish, so that wasn’t a feasible option. Instead, we drew inspiration from my mother-in-law’s zucchini fritters! She normally shreds a zucchini, mixes it with some magic, and delivers a delicious veggie infused pancake type thing that has proven to be a great receptacle for maple syrup…so we figured we’d shred a zucchini and toss that into our pot!
The last decision (this is feeling like a pick your adventure book) was what to serve with our chili. We opted to scoop it into a bowl and serve with a sunny side up duck egg and a piece of toast. However, we think it would also be great served over an English muffin, some cornbread, or even atop a layer of Home Fries and topped with melted cheese!
Time: 60-75 Minutes
Ingredients:
- 8-12 Ounces of uncooked breakfast sausage (uncased)
- Onion
- Bell Pepper (colour of your choice)
- Chipotle Chilies in Adobo Sauce (We used about 3)
- 1 Quart of Canned Tomatoes
- Large Zucchini
- Maple Syrup (use the real stuff!)
- Optional: A little coffee (we used about 4 ounces) to build depth of flavour and go all in on breakfast
- Toppings of your choice. We used a piece of toast and a sunny side up duck egg
Method:
- Dice your onion, bell pepper, and chipotle chili peppers.
- Heat some oil or butter in a large pot, and then add your vegetables. Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 5-10 minutes (until your onions turn opaque).
- Crumble your breakfast sausage into your pot, and stir to combine.
- As your sausage cooks, shred your zucchini with the shredding plate attachment of your food processor (easy) or a box grater (less easy).
- When your sausage has browned, add your shredded zucchini to the pan, and stir to combine.
- Puree your tomatoes in a food processor (no need to clean it between zucchini shredding and this step…it’s all going to the same place), and add them to your chili.
- Pour in some maple syrup and your optional coffee, and stir to fully incorporate your sauce with everything else in your pan.
- Cover, set to low, and simmer for 45-60 minutes to allow flavours to develop. Taste intermittently, and add more syrup/adobo sauce as necessary to suit your taste.
- Plate, devour, and enjoy!
