Mmmm...mmmm...mmmm. Oh ya.
A couple of weeks ago, a friend took me to a way cool brew pub in the Pearl District, and we ended up sharing a bowl of their three bean vegan chili. Neither of us are vegans, but the couple at the table next to us were having it, and it looked and smelled so good that we decided to order up a bowl and try it.
Oh. My. Ga.
So yummy.
Anyway, ever since that Sunday, I have been craving another bowl of this amazing chili, so I decided to google it, and see if I might find the recipe, or one that sounded similar enough to try making it myself at home. I found a recipe right away that appeared to have what I was looking for.
I made this chili for the first time a couple nights ago when I was having that same friend over for dinner. Now, I don't usually like trying out a new recipe with company, in case it's not up to par, but the ingredients sounded good, so I took a chance. It's a Rachel Ray recipe, and I haven't ever tried any of her stuff, so I wasn't quite sure what to expect.
I needn't have been concerned, as it was dee-lish. (Actually...Yumm-O, as Rachel would say.) Here's Rachel's recipe:
- 2 tablespoons (2 turns around the pan) olive or vegetable
oil - 1 medium yellow skinned onion, chopped
- 1 large red pepper, seeded and chopped
- 1 large green pepper, seeded and chopped
- 1 large jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, crushed and chopped
- 1 cup pale beer or vegetable stock/broth (I will use an entire bottle of beer next time, as this chili came out really thick)
- 1 (32- ounce) can crushed or diced tomatoes
- 1 (14-ounce) undrained can black beans
- 1 (14-ounce) undrained can dark red kidney beans
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 2 tablespoons chili powder
- 1 tablespoon cayenne hot pepper sauce, several drops
- 1 teaspoon coarse salt
- 1 (14 ounce) can spicy vegetarian refried beans
Toppings:
- 8 ounces (2 cups shredded) spicy monterey jack or smoked cheddar
- Chopped scallions, whites and greens
- Diced fresh seeded plum tomato
- tortilla chips or black bean tortilla chips, for dipping (I used tortilla strips and sprinkled them on top of the chili...)
Directions
Over moderate heat, add oil to a deep pot and combine onion, peppers, and garlic. Saute for 3 to 5 minutes to soften vegetables. Deglaze pan with beer or broth, add tomatoes, black beans, red kidney beans, and stirring to combine.
Season chili with cumin, chili powder, hot sauce, and salt. Thicken chili by stirring in refried beans. Simmer over low heat about 5 to 10 minutes longer, then serve up bowls of chili and top with shredded cheese, scallions, and tomatoes.
**Note from Tracey** This chili would be equally dee-lish if you added chicken to the recipe, and I just may try that next time around.
I served it up with some Asiago cheese bread, and beer, natch. Not only was this a perfect Autumn meal, it was easy to make, in under 20 minutes prep time. Give it a try, if you're a chili fan.
