From the Carolina Lowcountry to St. Augustine, the Southern coast has its own pantry. This fall, we pulled it into a chili.
There are no local tomatoes or onions in our catalog this week, so we built a chili that doesn’t need them. Georgia chorizo and applewood bacon bring the color and smoke, Ellijay shiitakes bring the meatiness, and heirloom Sea Island Red Peas stand in for kidney beans. A datil pepper from Florida adds heat that is fruity, bright, and very local.
Who’s in the Pot?
- Heywood’s Provision Co., GA — bulk chorizo and applewood slab bacon form the backbone.
- Ellijay Mushrooms, GA — shiitakes for deep, savory body.
- Marsh Hen Mill, SC — Sea Island Red Peas, a Lowcountry heirloom, plus yellow grits to serve it over.
- Magnolia Hill Farm, FL — datil peppers, the signature heat of St. Augustine.
- Georgia Olive Farm, GA — extra virgin olive oil to start the pot.
- Southern Swiss Dairy, GA — heavy cream for a cool, tangy finish.
- Sweet Grass Dairy, GA — Gouda for grating over the top.
- Legacy Greens, FL — micro cilantro and micro leeks to finish.
The Chef’s Playbook
No recipe here — just the building blocks. Take them and make the bowl your own.
- Fat and smoke: Render Heywood’s applewood bacon (#38422) in Georgia Olive Farm olive oil (#36038–36044), then brown the chorizo (#38423) in that fat. The chorizo’s paprika and chile give the pot its red color without tomatoes.
- Meaty body: Ellijay shiitakes (#35539), seared hard in a hot pan before they go in so they brown instead of steam.
- Peas: Marsh Hen Mill Sea Island Red Peas (#33918). They cook faster than most dried beans and hold their shape, so keep an eye on them.
- Heat: Magnolia Hill datil peppers (#29223) with Florida/Georgia green bells (#35406). Datils are very hot, so start with one and taste before adding more.
- Sweetness: NC sweet potatoes (#39466), roasted separately and folded in at the end.
- Finish: Southern Swiss heavy cream (#33544). For a crème fraîche-style topping, stir in a spoonful of buttermilk and let it sit at room temperature overnight. Top with grated Sweet Grass Gouda (#31648), Legacy Greens micro cilantro (#36412), and micro leeks (#36415).
One Pot, Five Menu Ideas
- Chili and grits: Ladle it over creamy Marsh Hen Mill yellow grits (#38471) finished with Sweet Grass Gouda.
- Cornbread skillet: Dayspring Farms cornmeal (#33601) baked in cast iron and topped with chili and micro cilantro.
- Stuffed sweet potato: A whole roasted NC sweet potato split and filled with chili and cultured cream.
- Mushroom-forward vegetarian: Skip the meat, double the shiitakes, and add Dream Big Farms lion’s mane (#36464) or chestnut mushrooms (#36466).
- Breakfast bowl: Chili over grits with a fried egg and sliced datil for brunch service.
Put it on your menu
Every item above is orderable through What Chefs Want’s Local Food Connection program. Open Cut+Dry, go to Local Produce under Browse Catalog, or filter by region to find local items. Need a large or standing order? Talk with your sales rep to make sure stock is set aside.
