In the Kitchen with Gail Arnold

Venison chili with black beans.

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For our latest “In the Kitchen with” article, I met with talented Chef Gail Arnold at her lovely home, which has a killer view of the ocean. Arnold has been working professionally since she was 18. “My first job was in high school, working in a restaurant,” she said. Her father had a big influence on her. “My mom was in charge of soup. My dad cooked just about everything else. I was always in the kitchen with him.”

Arnold landed a year-long internship program: “The school I went to was a vocational high school in France.” School days ran from 8 am to 5 pm. “In the morning we cooked from 8 am to noon, and in the afternoon we attended classes. All the science classes we took were food-related, and all the math classes were kitchen-related — figuring out a budget for your restaurant, etc. It was a very good model for other schools.”

Arnold went on to work as a restaurant and private chef, and is passionate about all things food. She has been involved with Share Our Strength’s “No Kid Hungry” program, and the Island Food Pantry, as well as other food-equity organizations. Currently Arnold is a private chef in the summer, and the chair of the board of Island Grown Initiative (IGI).

For “In the Kitchen with,” Arnold chose chili for a few reasons, one having to do with a program Arnold is involved in at IGI. “Today we’re making venison and black bean chili. IGI has a deer program, so we often have venison available for people at the Food Pantry,” she explained.

According to the Martha’s Vineyard Agricultural Society’s website, “The Venison Donation Program (VDP) provides high-quality, protein-rich meals to Islanders in need via partnership with the Island Grown Initiative (IGI) through the Island Food Pantry, Kinship Heals, IGI’s prepared meals program, and other food distribution programs.”

Arnold had all her chili ingredients ready, and two pans cooking at once: one to show the chili-making process from the start, and one already cooking. To cook the venison, Arnold added a little oil to the pan, and waited for it to get good and hot: “Getting it very hot browns the meat and sears the juices.” Magnificent smells began dancing around the kitchen, and my mouth was watering.

Some of the seasoning she used included cumin and a variety of chilis. “As a note, I tend to grind my own chili powder, but if someone doesn’t have all these, they can use straight chili powder.”

Aside from the deer program, and the fact that chili is perfect to eat on a cold winter’s day, Arnold also chose this recipe because it isn’t particularly expensive to make, and it’s not overly complicated. “It’s also very healthy. There is not a lot of oil, and the meat is not high in fat,” she noted.

Arnold’s first step was to cook onions and garlic, then the spices: “Cooking your spices blooms the flavor.” One of the other great things about this recipe is that you can switch out ingredients based on your preferences and dietary needs. For example: “If you have alpha-gal, you can use just black beans.”

Next Arnold added a nice, rich Guinness, some water, canned tomatoes, chocolate, and mole sauce: “The mole is optional, but I like to add it. Most mole sauces are made with nuts, so if you have a nut allergy, you don’t have to add it. I just think that it adds a depth of flavor.”

Arnold also added honey, saying, “The chilis are spicy. Not necessarily hot, but can have a bit of a bitter taste, so I add honey. In so many cuisines you want your food to be balanced. The sweetness of the honey counters the bitter, and adds to the flavor.”

As the new batch cooked, Arnold served us each a bowl of the chili that was already cooked. She added avocado, slices of red pepper, thinly sliced tortilla chips, and cilantro on top. We sat at the table and indulged. It was magnificent. Spicy but not too spicy, rich, flavorful, and satisfying, and the tortilla chips added a nice crunch. I ate it in about five minutes flat, and I can’t wait to make it at home.

Venison and Black Bean Chili
Serves six to eight.

2 Tbsp. plus 1 tsp. olive or vegetable oil
2 lb. venison, cut into small cubes, or ground
salt and pepper
1 med. yellow onion, diced (about 1–1½ cups)
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped (about 2 tsp.)
2 Tbsp. ancho chili powder
2 Tbsp. pasilla or guajillo chili powder
2–3 tsp. chipotle chili powder, or 1 Tbsp. chipotle in adobo sauce
1-2 tsp. honey
1 Tbsp. ground cumin
1 bottle dark beer (10 to 12 oz.); I like Guinness
4–5 cups water or chicken stock
1 (14 oz.) can crushed or diced tomatoes
2 Tbsp. mole Colorado or negro (optional)
2 oz. dark chocolate
1-2 Tsp of honey
2 cups black beans

Serve with any of these optional add-ons: chopped cilantro, thinly sliced scallion, cubed avocado, crema fresca, chopped jalapeño, crushed tortilla chips, fresh lime wedges

Heat 2 Tbsp. of oil in a Dutch oven or other sturdy pot. Season the venison with salt and pepper (about 1 tsp. salt, and 6 turns of a pepper mill). Brown the meat, and then transfer to a bowl or plate.

Add 1 tsp. of oil and the onions to the pan, and cook for about 2 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another minute or so. Add the chili powders and honey (but not the chipotle purée, if using) and cumin and cook, stirring constantly, for another 2 minutes. Add beer to the pan, and reduce until there is only the slightest amount of liquid left.

Add water or stock, tomatoes, chipotle purée (if using), mole (if using), and chocolate to the pan. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium.

Return the venison to the pan, cover, and simmer for about 45 minutes to an hour. (Depending on the output of the stove, the heat may need to be lowered.) Add the beans, and cook for another 15 minutes.

Serve plain, or with optional garnishes.

You can follow Gail on Instagram at nstagram.com/chefgailarnold. To learn more about the deer program, visit marthasvineyardagriculturalsociety.org/deer-management