Winter Vegetable Chili

By LRay

The Local Palate, Feb/March 2014, page 86.

Some meatless chilies are lackluster. This one shines. Chunks of hearty winter vegetables, black beans, hominy, and plenty of fragrant seasoning add up to a chili worthy of the title. For best flavor, make chili at least one day and up to three days ahead. It gets better each day.
A key to any great chili, vegetable or otherwise, is to use extremely fresh and fragrant spices. Each time you open the jar, the spice’s pungent aroma should bowl you over. Spices that have no aroma have no flavor and add nothing but dust to the dish.
Another key to great chili is to garnish each serving with a generous squeeze of fresh lime. It smells fantastic and perks up everything in the bowl.

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped (about 2 cups)
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 2 large red, yellow, and/or orange bell peppers, cored and cut into 1-inch pieces (about 2 cups)
• 4 small parsnips, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces (about 1 cup)
• 2 large carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces (about 2 cups)
• 1 small winter squash, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces (about 3 cups)
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
• 2 tablespoons ground chile (ancho for mild or chipotle for hot and smoky)
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 1 tablespoon ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon cocoa powder
• 1 12-ounce bottle pale or amber ale
• 1 cup vegetable juice, such as V8
• 1 14.5-ounce can fire-roasted diced tomatoes
• 1 15-ounce can hominy, drained and rinsed
• 1 15-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
• Lime wedges, sour cream, and corn chips, for serving

Preparation

Step 1

Directions

1. Heat the oil in a small pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion and a pinch of salt and cook, stirring often, until softened, about 5 minutes.
2. Add the garlic, bell peppers, parsnips, carrots, squash, and salt and cook, stirring often, until the vegetables begin to soften, about 15 minutes.
3. Add the chile, cumin, coriander, cinnamon, and cocoa. Cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes. Reduce the heat if the spices begin to scorch.
4. Add the ale, vegetable juice, and tomatoes. Stir to scrape up the browned glaze from the bottom of the pan. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, partially cover the pot, and simmer until the vegetables are almost tender, about 15 minutes.
5. Stir in the hominy and black beans. Simmer until heated through, about 5 minutes.
6. Check the seasoning. Serve warm with the lime, sour cream, and chips.
Make-Ahead Note: For best flavor, make the chili at least one day and up to three days ahead. Cool, cover, and refrigerate. Rewarm over medium heat and check the seasoning before serving.

Directions

1. Heat the oil in a small pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion and a pinch of salt and cook, stirring often, until softened, about 5 minutes.
2. Add the garlic, bell peppers, parsnips, carrots, squash, and salt and cook, stirring often, until the vegetables begin to soften, about 15 minutes.
3. Add the chile, cumin, coriander, cinnamon, and cocoa. Cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes. Reduce the heat if the spices begin to scorch.
4. Add the ale, vegetable juice, and tomatoes. Stir to scrape up the browned glaze from the bottom of the pan. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, partially cover the pot, and simmer until the vegetables are almost tender, about 15 minutes.
5. Stir in the hominy and black beans. Simmer until heated through, about 5 minutes.
6. Check the seasoning. Serve warm with the lime, sour cream, and chips.
Make-Ahead Note: For best flavor, make the chili at least one day and up to three days ahead. Cool, cover, and refrigerate. Rewarm over medium heat and check the seasoning before serving.