Vegetarian Chili

Source: Adapted from Jane Brody's "Chili Without Carne" in her Good Food Book

Serving Size : 6

1 tablespoon olive oil or vegetable oil
1 or 2 small zucchini, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
3 large cloves garlic, minced
1 green pepper, chopped
1 fresh jalapeno pepper, finely chopped (wear rubber gloves)
2 (28-ounce) cans pureed tomatoes
½ teaspoon coriander
¼ teaspoon whole cloves, or generous pinch of ground cloves
¼ teaspoon allspice berries, or generous pinch of ground allspice
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoons black pepper, or to taste
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons mild chili powder
2 tablespoons ground cumin
2 cans cooked kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup uncooked brown rice
2 cups boiling water
(1 lb ground beef, browned)

In a large Dutch oven, heat the oil and sautee the zucchini, onions, garlic, green pepper and jalapeno pepper, until they are softened. Add the tomatoes (and puree), coriander, cloves, allspice, oregano, black pepper, brown sugar, chili powder, cumin, and beans. Bring the chili to a boil, reduce heat, cover the pan and simmer the chili for 30 minutes.

While the chili is cooking, in a medium saucepan add the rice to the boiling water, reduce the heat, cover tightly and simmer the rice for 15-35 minutes, according to package directions. Serve the chili over rice and garnish with items of your choice - such as grated cheddar cheese.

Obviously, skip the meat and/or cheese for vegetarian and/or vegan versions of this recipe!

I talked about this recipe HERE and HERE.