VEGETABLE CHILI WITH CUMIN CREMA

I'm not a football fan but for some reason, knowing that the superbowl was this coming Sunday sort of made me crave chili.  Perhaps it's because all this week Food Network has been running episodes of shows featuring recipes for the sports enthusiast - nachos, hot wings, dips and chili.  Bobby Flay made an interesting lamb and black bean chili, but you know, I just made lamb. 

Flipping through my trusty Whole Foods cookbook I came across this recipe.  The book features two other chili recipes that I've tried and loved (Sweet Potato Chili and Chili Blanco with Chicken) and this one seemed just as intreguing as the others.  The list of ingredients is pretty typical except that it also includes soy sauce and cracked wheat, a grain that I wasn't too familiar with. 

So this is cracked wheat.  It is, as the name suggests, the cracked kernels of whole wheat.  It is similar to bulgur which is typically used in tabouli (although I usually use couscous), but according to Cook's Thesaurus it's a little nuttier in flavor and takes longer to cook. 

When I questioned the idiots at my regular supermarket where I might find the cracked wheat I was met with a blank stare.  "Is that something you eat?" the mouth-breathing worker asked.  "YES," I sighed, exasperated by their lack of help.  I decided to head over to Whole Foods Market.  I knew they would have it.  And they did.  It was on the cereal aisle.  Oh, Whole Foods, you never let me down.

Having tracked down my cracked wheat, I returned home and got everything else together.  I changed the recipe a little and added a garnish that Bobby Flay used with his lamb chili - a cumin and lime juice flavored sour cream, or as he called it, cumin crema.

INGREDIENTS
(for the chili)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 large carrots, chopped
2 large stalks of celery, chopped
1 medium green bell pepper, seeded and diced
1 medium red bell pepper, seeded and diced
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 jalepeno peppers, minced (I left the seeds in and it was just spicey enough)
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon chili powder
2 teaspoons cumin
1 cup tomato puree
1 (28-ounce) can chopped tomatoes
4 cups vegetable stock
2 cups water
1 cup cracked wheat
1 (16-ounce) can black beans
2 (16-ounce) cans kidney beans
juice of 2 limes
1/4 to 1/2 cup tamari or soy sauce (depending on taste)
1 handful fresh cilantro, minced
3 or 4 scallions, thinly sliced
cumin crema (see recipe below) and/or grated cheese

(for the cumin crema)
1 pint creme fraiche, Mexican crema or sour cream
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
Salt and freshly ground pepper

METHOD
First make the crema.  Whisk together ingredients in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving so the flavors can meld.

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large soup pot over medium heat.  Add the onion, carrot, celery, peppers, garlic, jalepeno, oregano, chili powder, and cumin and stir to combine well.  Saute for 2 or 3 minutes. 

Next add the tomato puree, chopped tomatoes, vegetable stock, water, cracked wheat, kidney and black beans.  Simmer uncovered for 50 minutes to an hour.  Add another cup or two of water if the consistency becomes too thick.  Be sure to stir frequently, as the cracked wheat has a tendency to stick to the bottom of the pot.

Add the lime juice, soy sauce, and stir in some of the cilantro.  Serve with a dalop of the cumin crema, a little more cilantro and some of the sliced scallions.

Unlike a lot of vegetable chilies that are full of things like squash, zucchini, and corn, this one actually very closely aproximates a classic beef chili in a most satisfying way.  The cracked wheat gives it a nice texture - almost a meat like consistency and the cumin crema tames the heat from the jalepeno but still adds some nice spice.  Even the most ardent meat lover would be surprised to find out that this chili (with the exception of the crema) is completely vegan and is shockingly heathy.  Mark and I each had two bowls.  I can't wait until tomorrow night so I can have some more.

Comments

[Mona]

Nice recipe, Grant. Your photography and descriptions are great. I am definitely going to try out this one!

[Grant]

Thanks Mona! Do give it a try and let me know what you think. I thought it was great - so much flavor. Thanks for commenting.

[Jessica]

NO ONE LOVES A VEGAN, GRANT.

[Jessica]

But the chili DOES look good.

[jodie fratantuno]

grant, this looks fantastic. i am going to give this one a try and give my old recipe a rest for a bit. love the creme fresh...yummmmm

[Cat]

After hunting for cracked wheat at three different stores (and finally sucking it up and driving to Whole Foods) I made this for dinner and really enjoyed it. My ardent meat lover boyfriend just mentioned that he hardly noticed the lack of meat and he's looking forward to hijacking the leftovers for lunch this week. Thanks Grant, I'm so glad I found your blog-- you make interesting things and it's quite helpful to learn from your experience!