Vegetarian Chili

Ingredients

Part 1

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 clove of garlic, minced
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 green pepper, chopped
• 2 stalks of celery, chopped
• 15 medium sized mushrooms, sliced

Part 2

• 1 19oz can of red kidney beans
• 1 19oz can of black beans
• 1 28oz can of whole stewed tomatoes
• 1 5.5oz can of tomato paste
• 2 fresh tomatoes chopped
• 1/2 of a 350g package, extra firm tofu chopped into squares

Part 3

• 2 teaspoons of Worcestershire sauce
• 2 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar
• 1 tablespoon of Dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon of oregano
• 1 teaspoon of cumin
• 1 heaping tablespoon of chili powder
• 1/4 teaspoon of cayenne pepper
• Fresh ground black pepper (as much or as little as you want)
• 1/2 teaspoon of salt

Part 4

• 1 cup of frozen corn niblets

Instructions

Part 1

1. In a large pot, sauté garlic and onion until onion is soft but not brown.
2. Add chopped vegetables and continue to sauté.

Part 2

1. Mix in all of the Part 2 ingredients and bring mixture to a boil.
2. Reduce heat to simmer for 30 minutes. Stir every once in a while.

Part 3

1. Add seasoning and spice. Simmer for another 30 minutes. Stir every once in a while.

Part 4

1. Stir in niblets continue to simmer until they are cooked through.

Comments

Ladle into bowels and serve with a sliced baguette.

Historical Record

Robin started making chili when she went to university in 1983 using the book Food 101: A Student Guide to Quick and Easy Cooking. This book was a gift from Mom and Dad (Barbara and Ernest). The recipe has undergone many, many changes over the years as a result of various influences. For a period of time in the late 80s and early 90’s it even included a couple of squares of chocolate! The meat ingredient started out as ground beef, and then changed to cubed beef, and then to chicken, and finally tofu in the 2020s when a completely vegetarian recipe was desired. The Silver Palate Cookbook was the inspiration for the addition of dijon mustard and oregano. The addition of corn was strictly because Robin felt like it one day.