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EMBRACE THE CHILL
A bowl of warm chili feeds the soul.
WRITTEN BY LAUREL WINTERBOURNE
PHOTOS BY SHEA EVANS
What is it about chili that makes it perfect for snuggling on the couch on a cold day, with a fire burning and a football game on TV? It’s those warm, spicy, seasonal flavors blending together as they simmer in a single pot. Chili is just the ideal food for a cozy day at home.
What’s Your Chili Style?
There are countless variations: sweet, spicy, meaty, and savory, all blended in one delicious bowl. It’s not just for carnivores either. Some deliciously unique vegetarian recipes range from delicately flavored to packing a punch. Here are a few recipes, each with a twist on a classic dish that will be sure to impress.
As always, organic and local veggies enhance the flavor of any dish.
Laurel Winterbourne is a Truckee-based freelance writer who finds her passion in local and organic food, writing, and outdoor adventures.
Smoky Sweet Potato Chili (vegan)
(courtesy of Amy Garrahan. Serves 6)
This chili is packed full of veggies, beans, and all of the great nutrients you get from sweet potatoes, says Amy Garrahan, home vegetarian cook and vegan baker.
“I love the versatility of chili,” she says. “Whether you are looking for a well-balanced and nutritious meal or some warm, spicy, comfort food, chili always has the ability to make you feel well nourished.”
1 Anaheim pepper, diced
3 to 4 chipotle peppers, diced
1 sweet onion, diced small
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 medium sweet potato, cut into ¼-inch cubes
2 tablespoons oil
2 cans black beans
1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon onion powder
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons smoked paprika
2 teaspoons cumin
2 cups corn
Avocado and cilantro (for garnish)
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Toss sweet potato cubes in 1 tablespoon olive oil, salt, and pepper. Spread evenly on baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes.
In a Dutch oven or large pot, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil on medium heat and sauté diced onion, garlic, and Anaheim pepper for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add diced tomatoes plus half of a can of water, black beans, cumin, smoked paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, chili powder, and chipotle peppers. Cover the chili with a lid and simmer on low for 30 minutes. Add the roasted sweet potatoes and 2 cups of corn to chili and allow time to heat up. Finish with freshly ground sea salt and pepper to taste. Add avocado and cilantro for garnish.
Trokay Chili
(This recipe was a contender in the Truckee Chili Cookoff in 2013. It is a collaboration between Chef John Weatherson and Nyna Weatherson, owners of Restaurant Trokay, and their Chef de Cuisine, Laura Moore. It is a Texas-style chili with a twist. Serves 4)
“We like to make everything traditional and untraditional at the same time,” Moore says. “Simple is the easiest.”
¼ pound ground pork
¼ pound ground veal
¼ pound ground beef
2 28-ounce cans crushed tomatoes
1 fresh poblano ancho pepper, diced into ¼-inch pieces
1 red bell pepper, diced ¼ inch
1 green bell pepper, diced ¼ inch
1 yellow bell pepper, diced ¼ inch
1 medium white onion, diced ¼ inch
¼ jar of piquillo peppers
1 ghost chili
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon piri piri powder
1 teaspoon white pepper
1 teaspoon black pepper
Salt to taste
Sour cream or crème fraîche, shredded Cheddar cheese, and chives (for garnish)
Heat large rondeau or stock pot on high and add meat. Once golden brown, strain the meat into a strainer with a large bowl beneath the strainer to reserve the rendered fat; add the reserved rendered fat back to the pan and set the meat aside. Add the bell peppers, piquillo peppers, and onion and sauté in the rendered fat from the meat. Season with salt. Cover the pot with a lid over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until fully cooked.
Add garlic powder, chili powder, and piri piri powder. Allow spices to bloom with the vegetables for 1 minute.
Add the meat back to the pot, along with crushed tomatoes, white pepper, and black pepper. Simmer for 2 hours.
Wrap the ghost chili pepper with cheesecloth and use butcher’s twine to tie off the end. Steep in the chili, as you would a tea bag in hot water. After three to 10 minutes, depending on desired level of spiciness, remove the ghost chili sachet.
Taste the chili and add salt to taste, if necessary. Garnish with sour cream or crème fraîche, shredded Cheddar cheese, and chives.
Zesty Vegan Cornbread
(courtesy of Amy Garrahan. Serves 6 to 8)
1½ cups spelt flour
1½ cups organic cornmeal (medium grind)
3 tablespoons agave nectar
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
1/3 cup canola oil
2 cups almond milk (or other non-dairy milk)
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
Zest of one lime
1 cup corn kernels
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Lightly oil a cast-iron skillet or an 8-by-8-inch baking dish. In a large bowl, mix together flour, cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
In a separate bowl, whisk together almond milk, apple cider vinegar, agave, and oil.
Mix wet ingredients into dry ingredients and then add lime zest and corn kernels. Pour into pan and bake for 25 minutes.
Let cool on a wire rack for 10 to 15 minutes before serving.
Serve with vegan butter and agave.
Resources
Trokay
10046 Donner Pass Road, Truckee
http://www.Restauranttrokay.com, 530-582-1040
Open Lunch 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. and dinner 5 p.m. to close Fri. – Tues.
