Are you ready for some football? I may not be tuned into the big game on Sunday, but you can bet money that I’ll be cooking up something tasty in the kitchen, like these chili-filled cornmeal popovers. I’d much rather dice, spice and sauté than spectate any day.
Chili is a quintessential football-watching food, in my opinion. It’s flavorful, filling and, most important, can be prepared in advance. (In fact, it’s one of those dishes that tastes better the next day.) You can put it in a pizza, pile it on a crispy buttermilk waffle or just eat it plain. And if you really want to wow a crowd, you can serve it in puffy cornmeal popovers and let guests layer on the toppings.
Two-bean turkey chili works especially well in this dish – it’s healthy, hearty and generously seasoned. For a deep, dark color (as seen here), use a blend of natural and Dutch-processed cocoa powders versus unsweetened. If you’re short on time, simply pick up a few cans of chili at the store.
Once the chili is ready, tackle the cornmeal popovers. They’re extremely easy to whip up; if you can measure and whisk, you’ve got them made. Popovers are best enjoyed hot from the oven but are definitely edible hours after they bake. (Just be sure to poke a hole in the popovers if you don’t intend to use them right away; this releases the steam and helps prevent deflation.)
If you’re entertaining, set up a toppings bar so folks can garnish to their hearts’ content. I like to put out sour cream, shredded cheddar cheese, diced avocado and sliced green onions – but the options are endless!
So, what will you be cooking come Sunday?
- 3 eggs, room temperature
- 1 cup milk, room temperature
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
- ⅔ cup all-purpose flour
- ⅓ cup yellow cornmeal
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- two-bean turkey chili (link to recipe above) or 6 cups canned chili
- shredded cheddar cheese
- diced avocado
- green onions, thinly sliced
- sour cream
- Place a nonstick 6-cup popover pan on the bottom rack of the oven and preheat to 450 degrees.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs and milk. Then whisk in the butter.
- In a large bowl, combine the flour, cornmeal and salt. Then whisk in the egg mixture until smooth, about 2 minutes. Pour mixture into a large glass measuring cup; this allows you to quickly and easily distribute the batter among the popover pan wells.
- Once oven is preheated, carefully remove popover pan from the oven and coat wells with cooking spray. Moving quickly, divide the batter evenly among the wells and place pan back in oven.
- Bake for 20 minutes. Then reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees and bake for an additional 15 minutes. Do not open the oven door while popovers are baking.
- Remove pan from the oven and turn out popovers onto a wire rack. Serve immediately. Or, if not serving right away, poke a small hole in the side of each popover with a toothpick or paring knife to let the steam escape.
- Split popovers and fill with chili.
- Top with cheese, avocado, green onions and sour cream.
This recipe first appeared on Pottery Barn’s Inside & Out blog as part of a game day spread. They kindly provided some of the serveware seen in this post, including the gorgeous galvanized metal tiered stand.
I’ve only ever made popovers once before and loved them – so this recipe is just ideal for me. I love that you have stuffed them with a delicious chili filling!