Recipe Title: Vegetarian Chili Contributed by: MaryMcP
Additional Credits for Recipe
Recipe courtesy of Cubit member:
tomatofreak aka Alma |
List of Ingredients
One BIG eggplant, cut to half inch cubes
One large brown onion, diced
Several cloves garlic - to your taste - roughly chopped
One humongous (or 2 med) RED or YELLOW sweet pepper, diced 1/2 inch
3 or 4 medium Portabello mushrooms, stems removed and chunked
Warm 1/4 cup olive oil in large heavy pan over medium heat. Add eggplant and saute till shiny and soft. You may have to add olive oil as you go; eggplant soaks it up like a sponge. When eggplant begins to soften, add all the rest, stir and cook till onions and mushrooms begin to soften. At this point, add the rest of ingredients. |
Preparation
2 - 28-oz cans San Marzano whole or diced tomatoes w/juice (I used one of each.)
1 - 16 oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 - 16 oz. can white beans, rinsed and drained
2 or 3 roasted Hatch peppers*, seeds removed and diced
2 large or 3 small zucchini, diced
Mix well and add seasonings to taste: salt, cumin and chili powder. Start with about 2 tsp. salt, 1 tsp. cumin and 1 tbsp chili powder. Mix and simmer for a few minutes before tasting. Add more as needed for your tastes.** When you have the seasonings down, simmer on low for about 30 - 45 minutes, adding water as needed. Then add:
1 can fresh-packed corn, rinsed and drained OR 1 # frozen corn kernels
I don't like to cook the corn very long; the kernels get gooey and lose their crispness. Heat (or cook) the corn for just a few minutes and turn the heat off. Let sit on stove till it cools a bit and flavors mix well.
* This time of year (Fall), Food City [local mexican supermarket] usually has fresh-roasted Hatch peppers. You can substitute with one or two fresh hot yellow peppers or a small can of diced jalapenos or a fresh habanero (if you like fiery chili!). For a whole different flavor, use a canned chipotle pepper and some adobo sauce. It will give the chili a smoky hot flavor.
** I didn't want to make the chili very hot, so I used mild California chili powder. You can use hot New Mexico chili powder or the dark, smoky pasilla molido powder. They all have different degrees of heat and different flavors. Experiment!
Other changes you can make:
Add a can of rinsed, drained hominy [Editor: hominy is great in this recipe.]or garbanzos instead of white beans. Gives the chili some crunch. Or use pinto beans.
Use yellow squash or Mexican gray squash instead of zucchini. Don't have portabellos? Use canned or fresh button mushrooms.
Here, I would throw in a handful of chopped cilantro at the last minute. However, people either love or hate cilantro so I left it out. It's another flavor-changer. | Cookbook Category Soup-Hot
Vegetables
General Cooking/Prep Method Simmer
Extra Features of Recipe Difficulty Level-Moderate
Vegetarian/Vegan
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