Recipe developed and contributed by Maureen Gualtieri
It’s the last gasp of winter here in March, perhaps the final chance for that wintry craving for a steaming bowl of chili to hit. If you’re in the mood to make a pot of tomatoey beans and glorious spices, try this month’s recipe, where we add a hearty dose of DFC’s Subtly Sweet & Tangy Not Just BBQ (“Carolina”) sauce to the mix. With two kinds of beans, peppers galore, and TVP—a vegetarian meat replacement, sold in dry nuggets that re-hydrate in the chili to a lush, stewing-beef-like texture—this one-bowl wonder is worth putting off Spring for just a little longer!
Carolina Chili
(Yield: 8 big servings)
2 tbsp olive oil
1 small yellow onion, diced
2 med carrots, peeled and diced
1/2 green bell pepper, diced
1/2 yellow bell pepper, diced
1 540ml can of pinto beans
1 540ml can of black beans
2 796ml cans of diced tomatoes
1 1/2 c textured vegetable protein (TVP) chunks
1 1/2 c water
1 1/2 tbsp coriander seeds
1 1/2 tbsp cumin seeds
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1 tbsp cocoa powder
1 tbsp chili powder
1 tsp smoked paprika
2 bay leaves
1/2 c DFC Subtly Sweet & Tangy Not Just BBQ sauce
salt to taste
In a large pot on medium heat, toast your coriander and cumin seeds in the olive oil for up to a minute—until they get fragrant and you hear one or two pops coming from them. Add the diced onion and carrots and sauté for about five minutes, or until the onion is translucent and turning golden. Add your diced peppers and sauté for another five minutes. Once the peppers have softened a bit, drain and rinse both kinds of beans, then add them to the mix along with all of the diced tomatoes. Toss in the rest of the spices, including DFC’s Not Just BBQ sauce, mix well, and simmer for 10ish minutes. Season with salt if needed. After 10 minutes, stir in the water and the TVP chunks. Simmer for at least another 20 minutes, stirring once in a while, so the TVP absorbs all that delicious broth.
When ready, ladle out into big bowls, top with grated sharp cheese and cilantro, and enjoy with a savoury pretzel bun, or a spicy cheddar buttermilk biscuit!
