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Hot
Blond Lentil Chili
“Hot BlondChili,” which I developed and won top prize with at a Super Bowl chili competition in Atlanta years ago is now a popular take-home dish sold from the freezer at our restaurant. (The recipe can be found elsewhere in this blog.) It is also a favorite among several of my grandchildren. But, since it contains meat (usually ground turkey plus bacon), it doesn’t work for several other family members who avoid meat. So here’s a vegetarian version of the dish, to close the gap.
Lentils,
one of my favorite food items, are a wonderful source of protein, dietary
fiber, iron, and certain vitamins. They are also quick-cooking, easy to store,
and inexpensive. I use them in two forms here, the green-tan whole lentils plus
the split, hulled red lentils. They replace the ground meat. The smoky hint
from bacon in the meat recipe is replaced by a chipotle chili, which is a
smoked, dried jalapeño pepper. Otherwise, the chili is made similarly to the
meat version. I usually make it with some real heat from the peppers.
Most of the ingredients are available at
supermarkets and natural food stores. Two items, chipotle peppers and ground
annatto (called “achiote molido”), can be found in the dry chili and seasoning
section at Mexican grocery stores. Habanero peppers are in some supermarkets,
but always in the produce section of Mexican groceries.
The recipe
serves six or more. Leftovers keep well and seem to taste even better at a
later time. I like to serve chili with rice. Recently I’ve come to appreciate
brown rice as an accompaniment.
1 cup
regular green-tan lentils
1 cup split
red lentils
2
(14-ounce) cans white Great Northern beans
1
medium-large onion
3
tablespoons olive oil
3 cloves
garlic
1 whole dry
chipotle chili (available at Mexican stores)
1 yellow or
orange habanero pepper, or 2 tabasco peppers
1 teaspoon
ground cumin
1 teaspoon
ground allspice
1 teaspoon
oregano
1/2
teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2
teaspoon ground annatto (“achiote molido”), at Mexican store
Water as
needed
2 teaspoons
salt, plus more to taste
1 cup sour
cream
In two
bowls, separately rinse then soak the two types of lentils in water several
inches above the lentils. Set aside until needed. Open the cans of beans and
drain off the liquid, but do not rinse the beans. Set aside until needed.
Finely
mince the onion, or chop it finely in a food processor. In a heavy pot, fry
onion in the olive oil over medium heat, stirring often, until softened and
just beginning to brown. Mince the garlic cloves or put them through a garlic
press and stir into the frying onions. Let fry lightly for a minute, Add
chipotle, whole, the habanero or tabasco peppers, whole. Add 2 cups water then
stir in the dry spices. Bring to a boil.
Drain the
whole lentils (but not yet the split red lentils) and add them to the onion
mixture. Cook them, covered, over medium heat, stirring frequently and scraping
the bottom of the pot, until the lentils are becoming tender, 10-15 minutes. As
needed to keep them very moist, add a little water from time to time.
Then drain
the split red lentils and add them to the pot, along with enough water to just
reach the surface of the lentils. Simmer, covered, stirring frequently and
scraping the bottom of the pot, until red lentils turn pale yellow and become
tender, 10-15 minutes. Add a little water from time to time as needed to keep
the lentils moist.
When
lentils are tender, but not disintegrated, add the drained beans and salt. Cook
at a light boil, stirring frequently, for two minutes. Stir in the sour cream
and simmer two minutes further. Remove from the heat. Taste and add salt if
needed.
Serve now,
accompanied by rice, or store and reheat for serving later.
