Chili sin carne with a Vermont twist
Mel's Staples: Must-haves & essentials in your pantry & fridge Part 4
I’m back in Vermont, dear reader! A place that grew close to my heart over the past 2.5 years. Being one of the New England states in the US it's also one of the most Northern states close to the Canadian border.
Much of the Northern hemisphere already went into spring, especially after the spring equinox about ten days ago.
Not so much here in Vermont, though. After my arrival last Friday, Vermont was hit by supposedly the biggest snowstorm of this winter with 20 inches (more than 50cm) of snow or more.
So much for expecting it to be spring when I get here… Which I was completely aware of wouldn't happen anyway. Winters are long in Vermont and spring doesn’t really start until late April.
I’m a big fan of cooking and baking seasonal meals using ingredients and produce that is in season at the time. Especially after coming from Germany, where spring already had sprung big time, and I was in the mood for all things new and fresh.
But Vermont taught me to get back into hibernation and snuggle up close to the wood stove and cooking comfort food.
Hence this week’s Blog Post of the Mel’s staples series takes a pause on all things seasonal and introduces you to another one of my favorite dishes, Chili sin Carne.
A heartwarming Chili, without the usual meat - as you may know I’m a Veggie. But with a Vermont twist!
Just last weekend all of the Maple sugar houses in the state opened their operations to the public and showcased their work during Maple Open House weekend.
One of them offered a Chili con Carne (so with the meat). But it had the Vermont twist that I’d like to add in my vegan version here: Bourbon and maple syrup.
This recipe is a trial for me as well. I usually make this recipe using red wine. But the one I saw at the Sugarhouse inspired me to try something different.
But first things first, here are more of those staples - that’s why you’re here, right? ;-)
This week we’re gonna add a couple Must-Haves to the list. Plus some essentials. Again, decide for yourself, if one or the other is gonna end up in your personal Must-Have-list or your essentials.
Must-Haves for your pantry & fridge
Cocoa powder
Quinoa
Maple syrup
This week we’re adding another sweetener and a grain to the Must-Haves as well as a staple that you wouldn’t usually find in savory dishes, cacao.
Cocoa or cacao powder
The world of cacao is one of its own. As a coffee & tea specialist learning about cacao and chocolate was a MUST while staying in Central America in the winter of 2022/23. If you wanna learn more about this journey and try a recipe for some raw vegan chocolate treats, check out this blog post.
I’m using cacao not only in sweet treats, such as those chocolate treats or the classic Brownie or even add it to my oatmeal in the morning. Which is very delicious paired with some freshly sliced banana or orange filets.
Cacao also adds a rich flavor to savory dishes. If you’ve ever tried Mexican mole - the typical chocolaty sauce served in the Mexican cuisine -, you know what I’m talking about.
That’s exactly what it does to our Chili here, it adds a rich earthy flavor.
Quinoa
This technically speaking is not a grain, but a so called pseudo grain or cereal, a flowering plant deriving from the amaranth family.
As mentioned in last weeks blog post, I’m not a huge fan of rice. I also wanna have more variety in my diet, when it comes to grains. Hence I always have Quinoa and other pseudo cereals, such as millet, at home.
Quinoa is also considered a superfood containing more nutrients and vitamins than white rice. The seeds are rich in fiber and protein while providing a similar fluffy texture compared to rice.
You can totally make the Chili without Quinoa to make more of a Bean Stew. But to me it adds some more richness, without being too heavy. I wouldn’t add rice to the Chili for example.
Maple syrup
This is another of my all time favorites. I loved maple syrup before stepping foot on Vermont soil, drizzling it over my pancakes on a Sunday morning.
After having been to Vermont so many times now, maple syrup became even more of a must have staple in my kitchen. I often use it as a substitute for sugar in my baking as well as for adding a sweet kick to savory dishes as we’re about to do it here with the Chili.
I’ll dedicate a whole blog post to maple syrup next weekend plus sharing a recipe for a cheesecake with you using maple syrup and maple sugar.
Introducing Essentials for your pantry & fridge
Tofu
Canned tomatoes
Kidney beans
Why are canned tomatoes not among my Must-Haves? Well, as said I love using fresh and seasonal produce, so fresh tomatoes it is, when they’re in season.
Tofu
This soybean product might even go to your Nice-to-have-list, if you’re not a fan of Tofu or can’t do soy.
But I love it to add some extra protein to my meals. And since there’s all sorts of different types now - smoked Tofu or Teriyaki style or tons of ways to marinate Tofu as I often do using soy sauce or as I’ll be doing here with smoked paprika, there’s such a broad variety, too.
Canned tomatoes
This is basically a winter staple for me, since I only tend to use it for dishes such as Chili or Lasagne or my favorite eggplant dish that I’ll be sharing with you another time.
For any other occasion needing tomatoes, I’ll always be opting for fresh tomatoes, especially in a tomato sauce.
Kidney Beans
While other legumes & beans, lentils or peas may be on my Must-Have list, kidney beans are not. Simply because I don’t use them other than in Chili.
But, if you’re a fan of kidney beans you can totally add them to your Must-Haves and use them in bean stews, soups, etc.
I usually buy dry beans and soak/cook them at home. But you can totally get canned beans, preferably organic, of course.
Chili sin Carne with a Vermont twist
When I became a Veggie almost nine years ago, I wasn’t quite familiar with all those possibilities around veggie & vegan cooking just, yet. So Chili wasn’t among one of the dishes I would prepare in those early years.
After doing some trials and literally throwing together different recipes I finally am happy with the one that I tend to make more often over the years, at least once or twice every winter.
Since I haven’t made it in quite a while actually, I’m excited for this new version adding that Bourbon maple twist.
This is what you need for 3-4 servings:
1 small red onion, finely chopped
2-3 cloves of garlic (or more, if you like it more garlicy), finely chopped or pressed through a garlic press
1 medium sized red bell pepper, chopped into bite sized cubes
corn kernels, fresh or 1/2 a can or the whole can, if you like
kidney beans, 1 can or freshly cooked (2 cups)
2 small or 1 big can tomatoes
1-2 cups vegetable broth/stock
1 block smoked firm Tofu or firm Tofu marinated in oil, smoked paprika, chili & cumin, cut into small cubes. Or for a more meaty texture crumbled or grated/shredded (If doing one of this make sure your Tofu is very dry, i.e. get rid of all the excess moisture)
Bourbon (completely optional!), to your liking
maple syrup (from Vermont, of course), to your liking
1 tbsp or more cocoa powder
chili and/or cayenne powder, depending on how hot you want your Chili to be
1-2 tsp cumin
salt & pepper
1 cup quinoa, cooked.
How to make the Chili sin Carne
Put some canola or sunflower oil in a big pot and cook the onions and garlic for about 5 minutes. Add the bell pepper to the pot and cook another 5-ish minutes.
If using the Bourbon, add a good amount (up to 1/2 cup) to the pot together with some maple syrup and let reduce until it thickens.
Prepare the vegetable stock. Pour the canned tomatoes into the pot, then add in the stock. Don’t worry, if it looks rather liquidish at that point. Cook for several minutes on medium heat.
Meanwhile cook the Tofu in some oil in separate skillet to get rid of the excess moisture and toast it a little bit. Stir in between.
Now add the cacao, kidney beans and the corn kernels to the pot and let simmer another couple minutes.
Start tasting your Chili at this point. Add in the chili powder and/or cayenne, if using, as well as the cumin, smoked paprika, salt & pepper. Taste!
Add the quinoa and the Tofu to your pot. Taste again. Add more of the spices, if needed. Let simmer for another 5-10 minutes. Your chili should have a nice thick texture by now. If it happens to be too thick add more of the vegetable stock.
Serve with sour cream or some grated (Vermont) cheese and a slice of toasted bread on the side. Enjoy!
