She Strengthens

Unleash the Flavor: A Spicy Vegetarian Chili Recipe

The Quest for the Perfect Chili

I embarked on a mission to create a vegetarian chili that would tantalize taste buds and leave a lasting impression. After months of experimentation, I’m thrilled to share my recipe that combines six types of peppers, pan-charred onions, and a hint of chocolate to create a truly unforgettable dish.

The Recipe

Yields: 8 servings
Difficulty: Medium
Total Time: 3 hours
Active Time: 2 hours

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 cups dried pinto beans
• 1 large dried ancho chile
• 1 dried guajillo chile (or substitute with another ancho)
• 12 oz bottle beer, divided
• 1 large white or yellow onion, thickly sliced
• 4 fresh serrano peppers
• 2 tbsp canola oil
• 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1 stalk celery, diced
• 2 medium green bell peppers, chopped
• 1 tbsp cumin
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp dried oregano leaves, preferably Mexican
• 1 package chicken-style seitan, chopped
• 1 4-oz can fire-roasted green chiles
• 1 chipotle pepper, from canned chipotles in adobo
• 2 1/2 cups canned crushed tomatoes
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 cups reserved bean cooking liquid
• 1/2 oz bittersweet chocolate

Preparation

Step 1: Soak and Cook the Beans

Soak the beans overnight or use the quick-soak method (see below). Drain, cover the beans with fresh cold water, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until tender, about 1 hour total. Add 1 tsp salt and continue cooking until tender. Drain, reserving the cooking liquid.

Step 2: Roast the Chiles

Heat a cast-iron pan until very hot. Add the dried chiles and press down with a spatula. Cook until the peppers begin to soften and blacken, about 1 minute. Remove, cut off the stems, and shake out the seeds. Tear the chiles into pieces and blend with 1 cup of beer until smooth.

Step 3: Pan-Charr the Onions and Serranos

Reheat the cast-iron pan over high heat. Add the onion slices and Serrano peppers. Cook for about 10 minutes, turning the onions once, until they are well charred and soft. Remove, chop the onions, and cut the stems off the serranos.

Step 4: Sauté the Aromatics

Heat the oil over medium heat in a large heavy pot or Dutch oven. Add the garlic, celery, and bell peppers. Sauté for about 10 minutes. Add the prepared onions and serranos, cumin, black pepper, and oregano. Cook for 2 minutes.

Step 5: Combine and Simmer

Add the seitan, fire-roasted green chiles, chipotle, and chile puree. Cook for 2 minutes more. Add the remaining beer, tomatoes, bean cooking liquid, and salt. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 30 minutes. Add cooked beans and cook 10 minutes more. Stir in chocolate and serve.

Quick-Soak Method

Put the beans in a large pot and add cold water to cover by 3 inches. Bring to a boil and boil rapidly for 2 minutes. Turn off the heat, cover, and let sit for 1 hour.