Quinoa + Roasted Pepper Chili

This chili was the favorite of the more veggie-inclined of the tasters.  It didn't really taste like a chili in the traditional sense, but mirrored it in texture and density - and was delicious.

Serves 8

Ingredients:

4 Red + Green Peppers, seeded + halved
2 Poblanos, seeded + halved
4 Zucchinis, chopped
1 Onion, diced
8 Garlic Cloves, diced
2 tbsp Chili Powder
1 tbsp Cumin
1 tsp Paprika
2 cups Water
1 Bouillon Cube
1 cup Quinoa
2 14-oz cans Diced Tomatoes
2 14-oz cans Pinto Beans, drained + rinsed
Salt + Pepper, to taste

Toppings:

Cilantro, chopped
Cheddar Cheese, shredded
Sour Cream
Green Onions, sliced

1. Preheat broiler.

2. Slice peppers in half and remove seeds.  Place face-down (skin-up) on a broiling pan covered in tin foil, and flatten with hand.  Broil for 10 minutes or until blackened.

3. Peel skin off of peppers and discard.  Chop roughly.

4. Chop zucchini, onion and garlic.  Cook over medium-high heat in a large pot for 5 minutes.

5. Add chili powder, cumin and paprika and stir for 1 minute.

6. Add peppers, tomatoes, quinoa, drained pinto beans, water and the bouillon cube.  Bring to a boil, then simmer and cover for 30 minutes, or until quinoa is tender.

7. Remove from heat, serve, and go crazy with the toppings.

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Original Recipe:

Cooking Light

Poblano-Jalapeno Beef Chili

This week is going to be chili week on Fig & Rose.  I had friends over for "The Great American Chili Tasting" - I made three completely different chilies and we all ate our body weight in food.  Voting was tied for favorites, and quite a few liked this one best.

The first of the trio was traditional chili.  This was a melt-in-your-mouth kind of dish - everything just melded together wonderfully.  I thought it was lacking in an oomph of some sort, but maybe that was just in comparison to the other two, which were so dynamic.  I also burned it a little, which didn't help.  But I'd definitely make it again.

Serves 8

Ingredients:

2 pounds Ground Beef
2 Jalapenos, seeded + diced
2 Poblanos, seeded + diced
1 Onion, diced
8 Garlic Cloves, diced
1 12-oz Corona
2 tbsp Chili Powder
1 tbsp Cumin
2 1/2 cups Tomato Sauce (1 jar)
1 Cup Vegetable Broth (or 1 cups Water and 1/2 Bouillon Cube)
2 14-oz cans Kidney Beans, rinsed + drained
2 14-oz cans Diced Tomatoes
Salt + Pepper, to taste

Toppings:

Cilantro, chopped
Sour Cream
Cheddar Cheese, shredded
Green Onions, sliced

1. Cook beef in large pot for 10 minutes or until done, stirring continuously until brown and separated. Remove from pan, drain, and wipe pot clean.

2. Seed and dice jalapenos, poblanos, garlic and onion.  Cook over medium heat in pot for 10 minutes, until onion is tender.

I used the food processor to do all the chopping - saved a lot of time and effort.  Not great if you want large onion chunks, though.

3. Add beer, and scrape pan to loosen browned bits on bottom.  Allow to reduce by half, for about 10 minutes.

4. Add chili powder, cumin and salt, and stir for 1 minute.

5. Add in beef, tomatoes, drained beans, and vegetable broth and bring to a boil.  Simmer uncovered for 30 minutes, or until thickened.

Don't go nap and forget about it, like I did.  It will burn on the bottom.

6. Take off heat and serve.  Heap on the cheddar, cilantro, sour cream and green onions.

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Original Recipe:

Cooking Light