A recent party plan of Abbey's presented an interesting challenge: make a chili that everyone would like. Abbey is no fan of chili, but I am- despite my ongoing issues with reflux. Many a time I've had to make chili for one or forgo it altogether. This time I was determined to make an all-purpose chili with some specific objectives: (1) it would not burn the acid-sensitive folks, (2) it would be good enough even non-chili people would like it, (3) would be vegetarian to accommodate some guests but (4) also taste good on a hot dog.
The one ingredient that really seems to irritate the digestion of the reflux-prone is tomatoes. It was forgone that there would be no tomatoes in this chili. Not a problem: the original dishes that can be considered the antecedent for today's chili had, of course, chiles as a main ingredient- and frequently the only non-meat ingredient, except for perhaps onions, some masa, and herbs like wild oregano or epazote. Tomatoes were not really part of the equation and meat was the main attraction- so in addition I would have to add some things to make up the meaty flavor. I needed something zingy, yet mild, to stand in for tomatoes and came up with a compromise that would help fulfill multiple needs. I blistered two red bell peppers, mostly peeled them, and processed them in a food processor until smooth. I used a can of the one ready made mild, red enchilada sauces that had no tomatoes (The brand I found was Las Palmas, and their sauce is quite good). The roast red pepper sauce and the enchilada sauce, along with some faux-beef broth, formed the base of the chili. Then I borrowed from my own bag of chili hacks- none "secret" exactly, but some perhaps not intuitive, and came up with a chili that, I am happy to say, pleased everyone!
Bold-but-gentle chili (low acid, low fat, vegan)
The Ingredients
1 tbl olive oil
2 cans of red beans
1/2 to 1 sweet potato, roasted, or equivalent in cooked diced sweet potato
1 can of mild red enchilada sauce with no tomatoes (check labels or look for Las Palmas)
two cloves of roast garlic (from a head of roast garlic- you do roast heads of garlic, right?)
one medium yellow onion
1 tbl Worcestershire sauce (not vegan, there are vegan varieties though)
2 tbls premade black coffee (dark roast, again for our acid-sensitive friends)
2 tbls corn meal
1 tbl nutritional yeast
Enough not-beef bouillon (check label if you are gluten sensitive) to make 2 cups of broth
2 cups water
2 tbl ground cumin
1 tbl chili powder (I used Frontier spices, which contains oregano cumin and garlic powder)
1 tbl brown sugar
The Method
Put a stock pot or enamel pot on a burner set to medium low. Preheat the oven to broil.
Wash the red peppers and place on a cookie sheet.
Peel the onion and cut into medium to fine dice according to your tastes.
When the oven is hot, place the peppers in the oven, top rack, as completely under the flame/element as possible.
when the stock pot is warm, add the olive oil, coat the pan bottom, and add the onion. cook until translucent and starting to brown, about 7 minutes. stir periodically.
Check the peppers. When the sides facing the broiler are blistered and mostly black, rotate 45 degrees and repeat, checking every few minutes and rotating until all sides are done.
Microwave 2 cups of water or bring to boil in a pan. When it is hot, add the bouillon and let it sit for a few minutes. Stir to consistency when the bouillon is blooming and looks loose.
Blanch the peppers in ice water, then peel (or use the paper bag method, which I never knew about until Abbey told me what I was doing was strange!). Do not completely peel, leave a little of the burnt skin for the flavor. Seed and stem the peppers. Toss them in a food processor and whizz. They should be wet enough to form a thick sauce, but if needed, add a tablespoon of water.
when the onions are about done, add the spices and let them toast for 30 seconds. Mash the roast garlic into the pan and mix it all together into a paste.
Add the can of enchilada sauce and the pepper sauce. Turn up to medium high and bring to a boil.
Dice the sweet potato (how much depends on how much you like sweet potato) and add. Break up the sweet potato some but not completely. The chunks of sweet potato will serve as our diced "tomato."
Add the beans, spices, and brown sugar, then turn it back down to low to bubble.
Add the nutritional yeast, worcestershire sauce, corn meal, and coffee. Let it continue to bubble for a least five more minutes while the corn meal dissolves into the chili.
By now the chili is starting to thicken. Thin it with the broth to the consistency you'd like. For me it took about a cup and a half of broth.
Five more minutes to bring the broth to temp.
Please let me know if you try it and how it turns out.
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