Vegetarian Chili with Pecans and Chocolate & Cheesy Beer Bread

When I saw Joanne’s post a few weeks back, I just knew that I had to make the whole shebang.  Chocolate. Chili. Beer. Cheese.  So many things Jo likes.

I decided to make it on Sunday night, since to me chili is a Sunday night ordeal, not a quick weeknight meal.  This actually wasn’t hard to make, although I will go ahead and flag for you now: start the bread first.  I didn’t notice the total cook time on the bread, and while it was no problem to just let the chili simmer a bit longer it made for a late dinner.

We enjoyed the chili Sunday night, but I have to say that the flavor gets better over time.   I’ve been bringing it for lunch the last couple of days, and the flavors seem to have melded beautifully overnight.

The cheesiness to the bread is subtle but makes for a wonderful doughy texture.  The dominant flavor is definitely the beer.  Next time I might try honey instead of sugar, and perhaps throw in some corn as well.

Vegetarian Chili with Chocolate and Pecans

Adapted From Eats Well with Others

Serves 6

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1 Tbsp Chile powder
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp paprika
• 2 tsp oregano
• 1/4 tsp cayenne powder
• 2 bell peppers, red and yellow, finely chopped
• 1 carrot, finely chopped
• 1 parsnip, peeled and finely chopped
• 1 cup pecans, finely chopped
• 1 15oz can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 28 oz canned whole tomatoes
• 1 cup water
• 2 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
• 70 g of 85% dark chocolate

1. Prepare all of the veggies.
2. Heat the oil in a large thick-bottomed pot or dutch oven.  Add the onion, garlic, and all spices.  Let fry for a couple of minutes, stirring occasionally until the spices smell fragrant. Add the bell pepper, carrot, and parsnip.  Let cook for another couple of minutes.  Add the pecans, beans, tomatoes, water, and salt.  Bring to a boil and then simmer for 30 minutes.
3. Add the balsamic vinegar and chocolate to the pot.  Stir around and let cook for 5 more minutes.  Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper

Cheesy Beer Bread

Adapted from Eats Well with Others

Makes 1 9×5-inch loaf

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
• 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 13.5 oz whole wheat flour
• 3 tbsp sugar
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 cup shredded Mexican cheese blend
• 1 12 oz bottle pumpkin beer (I used Shipyard)
• 1 tbsp melted butter

1. Preheat oven to 375.
2. Heat oil in a small skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion to the pan and cook for 10 minutes or until browned, stirring occasionally. Stir in the pepper and garlic and cook for 1 minute.
3. Combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl.  Make a well in the center of the mixture.  Add the onion mixture, cheese, and beer to the flour mixture, stirring until just combined.
4. Spoon the batter into a 9×5-inch loaf pan that has been coated with cooking spray. Drizzle 1 tbsp butter over the batter. Bake at 375 for 55 minutes or until deep golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Johanna