Pre-heat a grill to 300º, with indirect heat. Heat a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil and elk. Season with a generous pinch of kosher salt and cook until the elk is browned, breaking up with a spatula as needed, about 8 minutes. While the elk is cooking, dice the onion and pasilla peppers. Remove the elk and set aside. Add the onions and pasilla. Cook until soft. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about one minute. Add the tomato paste and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, making sure to scrape up any brown bits on the bottom of the pan. Add the spices and masa, stir and cook until fragrant, 1 minute more. Add the tomatoes, beans, browned elk and stock and simmer, uncovered, on the grill for 25 minutes. Meanwhile make the gremolata and prepare the bread boats.
For the Gremolata:
Use a chef’s knife to finely chop the parsley. Grate the garlic cloves onto your pile of parsley and then use the same grater to zest the lemon onto the parsley as well. Chop through the pile of parsley, 2 to 3 more times to combine. Move the gremolata to a bowl. Use a serrated knife to cut off the top of each bread roll and pull out about 2 inches of the soft interior of the bread to create the bread boat.
Check the chili for seasoning and add salt as needed. Portion the chili into the bread boats and top with the gremolata. Pair with our Aviation Gin Smoked Blood Orange Negroni.
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