California Vegetable and Chickpea Chili |
|
 |
Prep Time: 0 Minutes Cook Time: 0 Minutes |
Ready In: 0 Minutes Servings: 4 |
|
Only native Californians like two wine-making friends of mine in Salinas can regularly throw together a vegetable chili such as this utilizing their almost year-round abundance of fresh vegetables and herbs. For those of us with seasonal gardens, various substitutions often have to be made (canned tomatoes, dried herbs, and the like), but such is the availability almost everywhere today of certain fresh produce even in the coldest months that no imaginative cook should have much trouble concocting a very tasty vegetable and bean chili according to this basic recipe. One advantage, by the way, of using a 28-ounce can of tomatoes with their juices instead of the fresh is that most likely you won't have to add any water to keep the chili slightly soupy. Ingredients:
1/2 cup vegetable oil |
2 medium-size onions, chopped |
1 celery rib, chopped |
1 small green bell pepper, seeded and chopped |
1 garlic clove, minced |
2 medium-size yellow squash or zucchini, scrubbed, ends trimmed, and chopped |
two 32-ounce cans chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained |
2 tablespoons chopped fresh coriander (cilantro) leaves |
2 tablespoons chili powder |
1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano leaves, or 1/2 teaspoon dried, crumbled |
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil leaves, or 1/2 teaspoon dried, crumbled |
1 teaspoon ground cumin |
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste |
cayenne pepper to taste |
4 large, ripe tomatoes, chopped and juices retained |
1 1/2 cups tomato juice |
Directions:
1. In a large, heavy pot, heat the oil over moderate heat, then add the onions, celery, bell pepper, and garlic, and cook, stirring, till softened, about 2 minutes. Add the squash and cook, stirring, 3 minutes longer to soften. Add the remaining ingredients and stir well. Reduce the heat to a low simmer, cover, and cook for 1 hour, adding a little water if the stew begins to get too thick.
2. Stews, Bogs, and Burgoos: Recipes from the Great American StewpotJames VillasWilliam Morrow and Co., Inc.
|
|