Vegetarian Chili
By Melissa Ray Davis
1 medium-sized sweet onion
5-6 garlic cloves
1 green bell pepper
1 large cayenne pepper (more if you want more spice)
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp crushed Mexican oregano leaves
1 tsp cumin
two 15-ounce cans pinto beans
two 15-ounce cans kidney beans
28 ounce can fire-roasted tomatoes (including juice)
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp liquid smoke
4 tbsp red wine vinegar
1 tsp good quality cocoa powder
1 tbsp brown sugar
Peel the onion and garlic cloves, wash and core the green bell pepper. Coarsely chop the onion. Crush each garlic clove with the flat of the knife and then slice thinly. Coarsely chop up the bell pepper. Finely mince the cayenne pepper.
Put all of the veggies into a large soup pot (gallon-sized) with the olive oil, and sauté over medium heat until the garlic is browned and the onion is translucent. Add the oregano and cumin, and mix well.
Drain all of the beans, and add them to the pot. Put the juice from the tomatoes INTO the pot, cut the tomatoes into bite-sized pieces and then add them as well. Add the salt, and mix well.
If you are going to serve the chili with rice, make sure you start your rice at the appropriate time for its cooking time.
Bring to a simmer and then turn the heat down a little so that it keeps a low simmer. Cover. Let simmer for 30 to 60 minutes, stirring occasionally. (Make sure that the beans do not start sticking to the bottom of the pot, or they will burn.)
After the beans have simmered sufficiently, add the liquid smoke, the red wine vinegar, cocoa powder, and brown sugar. Mix well. Simmer for an additional 10 minutes or so.
Vegetarian Bean Chili can be served over rice.
