Vegetarian Chili recipe
There is a tinge of coolth in the air and the leaves are beginning to herald leaf fall time: autumn. Soups and stews once again are a welcome addition to the vegetarian diet, along with a hearty piece of bread. No longer is it 'just too hot to eat soup' and the hot kitchen now becomes 'the place to be' after being out in the cold.
Vegetarian stews are wondrously egalitarian, accepting almost any vegetable, many grains and even some fruits. Limited only by personal taste, you can get a completely nutritious, well-balanced, fiber-laden "meal in a bowl."
By the way, www.dictionary.com defines a stew as: food cooked by simmering or slow boiling. Additionally, the term 'chili' refers to the chili pepper, but as we all know, it has come to mean a meal of ground beef and chili peppers often with tomatoes and beans. For vegetarians, we substitute for ground beef, but keep all the rest ... and then some!
Our family always includes the skins on potatoes, as all vegetarians know, you increase the vitamin value of the stew greatly. If the thought of potato skins floating around in your stew is unbearable, at least cook the potatoes in their skins and use the potato water as your beginning soup stock.
We've modified a vegetarian chili recipe from the Sunday newspaper supplement, Parade, dated January 29, 2006, for a really hearty, very large concoction. Read that word carefully: LARGE !! Of course you can vary the spice quantities and make substitutions to suit your preferences or accommodate allergies, but this recipe should start the process nicely. Enjoy!
Veggie Chili
4 tablespoons olive oil
4 medium onions, chopped
4 medium carrots, chopped into half inch pieces
2 tablespoons minced garlic
5 tablespoons chili powder
2 tablespoons cumin
1/2 pound red-skinned new potatoes cut into half inch pieces
1 each: red, green and yellow bell peppers cut into half inch pieces
2 cans (28 ounces each) peeled plum tomatoes, chopped, and the juices
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 tablespoon brown sugar
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
1 each: yellow squash and zucchini, halved lengthwise, seeded and cut into half inch pieces
1 can (15-1/2 ounces) garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup parsley
Salt and pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1. Place the oil in a large, heavy pot over medium heat. Add the onions and carrots; cook, stirring, for 7 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for 3 minutes more. Reduce heat to low and stir in chili powder and cumin. Cook another minute.
2. Stir in the potatoes, bell peppers, canned tomatoes, tomato paste, brown sugar, oregano and fennel seeds. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to medium and simmer, partially covered, for 25 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. Add squash, zucchini, beans and parsley. Season with salt and pepper. Simmer, uncovered, for 20 minutes longer, or until the vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally. Stir in lemon juice.
