Chili Days

One of my favorite things to eat in the wintertime is chili -- warm, hearty, and healthy. This week I made, for the first time, one of the best chili dishes I've ever eaten. Seriously -- I will continue to rave until the next pot I make. Thanks to my trusty Moosewood Cookbook -- a well-used and well-loved wedding shower gift from one of my many vegetarian college friends -- I read Julie's scrawled, "Mmmmmmm ... so good!" comment at the top of the page and had to try it. I just couldn't stop eating it. If you like chili, and want to fall in love with fresh vegetables, you've got to try this hearty dish.

RED, GOLD, BLACK AND GREEN CHILI

1/2 cup bulghur
1/2 cup hot water
3 cups undrained canned tomatoes (28 oz. can - I used diced)

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3 tbs olive oil
3 cups chopped onions (roughly 3 onions)
3 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
1 generous tsp ground cumin
1 generous tsp chili powder
1 tbs Tabasco or other hot pepper sauce, or 1/4 tsp cayenne
(for those with spicier palates, just adjust to taste)

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2 bell peppers of your choice (I used one green, one red)
2 cups fresh or frozen cut corn
1 1/2 cups drained black beans (14 oz. can)
1 1/2 cups drained red kidney beans (14 oz. can)
salt to taste

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grated cheese, optional (cheddar, Monterrey Jack, etc.)
chopped fresh cilantro, optional

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Place the bulghur, hot water, and about a cup of the juice from the canned tomatoes in a small saucepan. Cover and bring to a boil on high heat, then lower the heat and simmer gently. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking.

While the bulghur cooks, heat the olive oil in a large saucepan or pot.
Sauté the onions, garlic, cumin, chili powder, and hot sauce/cayenne.
When the onions are soft, stir in the bell peppers and sauté for 2-3 minutes.
Chop the tomatoes right in the can (or omit this step if using diced) and add to pot.
Stir in the corn and beans, and heat thoroughly on low heat.
Continue to stir throughout to prevent sticking.

Taste the bulghur - when it is cooked but still chewy, add it to the pot with its liquid.
Cover and simmer for a few minutes for the flavors to meld.
Add salt to taste.

Serve plain, or topped with grated cheese and/or fresh cilantro.
Great with cornbread or a hearty rustic bread.

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A few notes:
- For meat lovers, adding cooked lean ground beef or ground turkey would also work well.
- The recipe actually calls for 2 green peppers, but many folks don't care for green. Substitute this for a combination of your choice. I happen to like green peppers, and I found the added red pepper gave it an extra sweetness (along with the corn) that blended amazingly well with the spicy sauce.