Summer Vegetable Chili
Rather than the traditional amalgam of canned delights, this chili uses fresh tomatoes, corn, zucchini, and peppers to take advantage of late summer/early fall abundance. Yes, the tomatoes need to be peeled first, but once you get past that, everything is just thrown in a slow cooker and left to do its thing. Top this hearty vegetarian stew with some crumbly feta cheese, a sprinkle of basil (or whatever herbs you've got), and serve with a buttery cornbread to complete the summery meal.
Ingredients
- 2 lb (about 8 medium) tomatoes
- 1 yellow onion roughly chopped
- 10 cloves garlic smashed
- 8 oz (about 1 medium) summer squash cut into chunks
- 1 bell pepper cut into chunks
- 3 jalapeño or Fresno chilis seeds removed if you prefer less heat, and finely chopped
- 1 ear corn kernels and cob separated
- 1 15-oz can pinto beans drained
- 1 15-oz can kidney beans drained
- 2 tbsp cocoa powder
- 1 tbsp chili powder
- 1 tbsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 1 tsp paprika
- 2 tsp kosher salt
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- Feta cheese for topping
- Leafy summer herbs (such as basil, dill, and chives) for topping
- Cornbread (optional) for serving
Instructions
- Heat a large pot of water over high heat. Prepare an ice bath in a large bowl.
- Cut the stems out of the tomatoes and score an “X” on the bottom of each with a paring knife (you only want to pierce the skin and not too much of the flesh).
- When water boils, add tomatoes (working in batches as needed) and boil for about 1 minute or until tomato skin begins to separate from flesh. Smaller tomatoes may need less time. Remove with a slotted spoon to the ice bath.
- Once tomatoes have cooled, remove them from the ice bath and peel off the skin with you hands and discard it.
- In the pot of a slow cooker, combine peeled tomatoes with all the other ingredients (including the corn cob, but excluding the feta cheese, leafy herbs, and cornbread). Stir until ingredients are evenly distributed.
- Cook on low for 8-10 hours or on high for 4-6 hours.
- Stir chili and divide into bowls. Top with feta cheese and leafy herbs. Serve with cornbread if desired.