vegetarian chili
Some coworkers declared tomorrow to be Wiener Wednesday, with an impromptu pot-luck revolving around hot dogs and things that go on them. Kashrut considerations would normally preclude that, but when someone declared the intention to bring veggie dogs (with suitable preparation), I decided to contribute some veggie chili to go with them. It went something like this:
Heat vegetable oil in a deep skillet. Chop a giant yellow onion and a red bell pepper ('cause green bell peppers are gross) and cook into submission, adding a few teaspoons of minced garlic from a jar. (Edit: Chop about 1.5 carrots small before giving up and toss that in too.) Add half a bag (~8oz) of fake-meat crumbles, half a can of green chiles, a tablespoon or so of chili powder, half that of cumin, and some oregano. Cook for a while, stirring occasionally. Wonder if this will be spicy enough; later learn not. Add a 15oz can of red kidney beans and another of black beans, both drained, and a 28oz can of diced tomatoes, not drained. Stir, turn heat down, cover, and eat unrelated dinner.
Examine mix and decide the liquid is too thin. Find a 6oz can of tomato paste and decide that'll be just the thing. Also add a little more chili powder and cumin (still not enough). Cover and simmer for another hour or so, after which the sauce is nicely thick. Decant into 3-quart (?) casserole for transport to work, taste, decide to write note to future self about spicing in the form of this journal entry. Nonetheless, results are tasty if subdued. Write journal entry.
Heat vegetable oil in a deep skillet. Chop a giant yellow onion and a red bell pepper ('cause green bell peppers are gross) and cook into submission, adding a few teaspoons of minced garlic from a jar. (Edit: Chop about 1.5 carrots small before giving up and toss that in too.) Add half a bag (~8oz) of fake-meat crumbles, half a can of green chiles, a tablespoon or so of chili powder, half that of cumin, and some oregano. Cook for a while, stirring occasionally. Wonder if this will be spicy enough; later learn not. Add a 15oz can of red kidney beans and another of black beans, both drained, and a 28oz can of diced tomatoes, not drained. Stir, turn heat down, cover, and eat unrelated dinner.
Examine mix and decide the liquid is too thin. Find a 6oz can of tomato paste and decide that'll be just the thing. Also add a little more chili powder and cumin (still not enough). Cover and simmer for another hour or so, after which the sauce is nicely thick. Decant into 3-quart (?) casserole for transport to work, taste, decide to write note to future self about spicing in the form of this journal entry. Nonetheless, results are tasty if subdued. Write journal entry.