Here is my version of a Vegetarian Chili. Yeah, yeah I know, who can't make a vegetarian chili? But this one is deep, rich and full of umami. The richness comes from some key ingredients and a technique or two.
3 cups of chopped onions ( I like to use sweet onions if they are in season, else Spanish is fine )
2 green bell peppers, cored, seeded and chopped to about 1/2 inch about cubes. ( about 3 cups )
1 red and 1 orange bell pepper chopped.
2 large poblano peppers, roasted under broiler until charred and skin removed. Seeded/ diced.
48 oz of good veg broth. I use Pacific brand, it's rich in flavor.
3 cans of 16oz Kidny beans,
2 cans of 16oz black beans.
chipotle peppers in adobo sauce. Use one pepper and a tablespoon of the adobo sauce.
3-4 TBS of Chili powder. To taste.
1-2 TBS of Ancho Chili powder. To taste.
2 TBS Cumin.
2 TBS ground smoked paprika.
Salt and pepper to taste.
One of the techniques is to caramelize the onions, and peppers. You want to capture richness wherever you can. Another one is to toast the spices. And another technique is to smash some of the beans as the chili cooks-this releases starch to thicken it and adds some of the bean flavor to the sauce.
1) In a large stock pot with heavy bottom caramelize the onions. I caramelize the onions and peppers separately. If you attempt to caramelize them all together, the volume is too much for the pot and they just steam.
2) While onions caramelizing, put poblano peppers under broiler and blister and blacken the skin on all sides. Once blackened and blistered, put them in a small paper bag--they will steam, and the skins will loosen in the bag making it easier to peel the skin off.
3) Remove caramelized onions and set aside. Add peppers to pot and cook them until they just start to caramelize.
4) Add spices to pot and let them toast a little while peppers are finishing up.
5) Add onions back to pot. Add a chipotle pepper (or a half of one) and the adobo sauce.
6) Add Veg broth and simmer for an 45min-hour stirring occ.
7) Add beans and simmer another 1/2 hour. Stir occ. As you stir, smash some of the beans against the side of the pot to release starch. Con.t simmering until desired thickness. Test for spiciness and adjust.
This could have used a little more time simmering, but I started late, and we needed to eat. It was still yummy.
^^ Vegan until I added cheese, and sour cream
. Oh, and a little cilantro too,