Vegetarian chili

 

The ingredients list for this chili is dauntingly long, but note that the instructions are pretty short.

Fully loaded vegetable chili

From “The Pollan Family Table”  by Corky, Dana, Lori and Tracy Pollan

Ingredients

3 tablespoons chili powder

1½ teaspoons paprika

1½ teaspoons kosher salt

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon ground coriander

½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1/8 teaspoon black pepper

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 cups chopped yellow onion

1 cup chopped carrot

½ cup chopped celery

½ cup chopped red pepper

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 cups water

2 tablespoons tomato paste

28-ounce can crushed tomatoes

2 cups vegetable broth

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 bay leaf

¾ cup bulgur

1½ cups cooked black beans

1½ cups cooked red kidney beans

½ cup frozen corn

½ cup shredded Jack or cheddar cheese, optional

Method

Combine spices (chili powder through cayenne). Set aside.

Heat a large sauce pan over medium heat. Add oil, then onions and carrots. Saute for 5 minutes. Add celery, peppers and garlic and cook until softened. Stir in spice mixture. Add water, tomato paste, tomatoes, broth, soy sauce and bay leaf. Bring to a boil. Add bulgur and reduce heat to low. Simmer, partially covered, for 20 minutes or until bulgur is tender. Stir in beans and corn. Heat through, about 10 minutes.

Discard bay leaf. Serve topped with shredded cheese if desired. This is billed as serving 6 to 8; I’d say it serves 6 generously and 8 adequately.

Rating: As vegetarian chilis go, this one is right up there. The spice mixture is spot on, and the bulgur gives it an almost meaty texture. Definitely repeatable.