I mean y’all, can we talk about this chili? It’s a great big bowl of love right there. And it’s vegan! (I un-veganized my dinner by putting glob of plain Greek yogurt on top, but still!)
The jalapeno chutney-ish goop was also quite lovely – not a bit spicy since I’d cut out the ribs and seeds, so just this fun tangy zippy herb dressing. I’ll include instructions for that as well.
Chili: The Goods
Some mix of three of your favorite beans, canned or dry (I had red kidney beans, black beans, and small white beans. You can also use pinto beans. Oh, and if your beans are dried, soak them for at least 4 hours)
Vegetable broth or stock
Canned Diced Tomatoes
Yellow Onion, diced
Garlic, minced
Ground Cumin
Chili Powder
Paprika
Salt
Pepper
Tomato Paste
Olive Oil
Chili: The Method
In a big ol’ pot, sautee your onion and garlic in a bit of oil until your onions are just barely translucent. Throw in a bit of salt and pepper. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for about 30 seconds. Pour in your tomatoes. Add cumin, chili powder, paprika (kind of until the contents of your pot are… well, chili-colored) and bring the whole mess to a simmer.
Drain your beans and throw them into the pot. Add just enough broth to cover the beans. Bring to a boil. Mostly cover the pot (leave a small gap) and simmer for an hour or two, stirring occasionally, until beans are tender and flavors are all blended (if you’re using canned beans, this will take like… 20 minutes). Taste and adjust seasonings. If your chili is too soupy, add some more tomato paste to thicken it up. If it’s REALLY soupy, you can add some crushed corn tortilla chips. If it’s too thick, add more broth. Adjust seasonings again.
Optional: at service top with chopped cilantro, diced raw onions, diced raw tomatoes, shredded cheese, sour cream or plain yogurt, tortilla chips, hot sauce, whatever you like!
Jalapeno Goo: Recipe (You need a food processor, a blender would make it too smooth)
Place in the bowl of your food processor:
4 or 5 fresh jalapenos, with stems, seeds, and ribs removed
1 bunch of scallions, ends trimmed, cut basically just enough so they fit into the bowl
1 bunch of cilantro, basically cut so they fit into the bowl
3 or 4 cloves of garlic, peeled
Let that blend until it’s mostly pulverized.
Add some lemon juice, olive oil, and a smidge of salt and pepper (Go easy, mine came out a bit too salty), scrape down the sides, and let it go until it looks like a sauce. Add a bit of water to thin it out if it’s still too thick.
By the way, I had some leftover jalapeno chutney on my eggs and toast this morning, and that was one of the smartest decisions I’ve made in quite some time.
Happy eating!
Vickie's Food Ramblings 