Vegetable Chilli
… with all the winter veggies!

Who hasn’t got a chilli recipe, they are everywhere and all pretty fabulous. My great grandmother handed a recipe down through the generations and my parents both had recipes for a big bowl of chilli that usually came out in the Autumn with lots of squash. That’s the time of year a chilli often appears, fireworks night or Halloween, somewhere around then, but a spicy warming bowl of chilli is perfect for mid-winter roots and brassicas alike!

This is a recipe that isn’t really a recipe. The vegetables can be almost anything this time of year, the spicing is entirely up to your own taste and the cooking time is as much as can be given or a just a flash in the pan. My preference is for a mix of sweet roots and bittersweet brassicas all allowed to cook down low and slow with a moderate amount of spice. In fact this is a recipe I often do in the BBQ or over a fire. 

The beauty of a chilli is that is never the same twice… unless you want it to be!


Serves 4
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 1 hour +/-
Ingredients:
Rapeseed oil
1 onion
1 carrot
1 parsnip
1 candy beetroot
1 very small celeriac
½ tsp chilli powder
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp coriander seeds
1 black cardamom
1 tin of red kidney beans
1 tin of tomatoes
Sea salt flakes
Lots of fresh ground black pepper
1 tsp of coco powder
A handful of Cavolo Nero
A teaspoon of dried herbs
70g +/- rice per person

Corn Tortilla Ingredients:
250g fine polenta, extra fine semolina or Masa Harina flour
180g Hot water
1 tsp salt

1. I have a large cast iron casserole that is perfect for a chilli, but a sauce pan with fitting lid is also ideal. Heat a puddle of oil in the pan, add the chopped onion and cook gently for about 5 minutes until translucent.

2. While the onion is softening soak the rice, before scrubbing the vegetables clean, peeling the beetroot and triming the celeriac.

3. Chop the carrot and add to the onion, followed by the parsnip, candy beetroot and finally the celeriac. Put the lid on and cook over a moderate heat until the vegetables begin to steam and stick. 

4. Crush the cumin and coriander seeds then add them to the pan with the chili powder and cardamom pod. Turn up the heat and fry for just a moment to release the fragrance from the spices. 

5. Add the drained beans with the chopped tomatoes, then fill the tomato tin with water and add that as well, rinsing out any residual tomato into the chilli. Season with salt and pepper then bring to the simmer, put on the lid and simmer slowly.

6. Now for the tortillas. Boil the kettle and leave to cool for a minute or two before adding to the four and salt. Bring it all together in a bowl then work the dough for 5 minutes. Allow it to rest in a covered bowl for at least half an hour.

7. Back to the chilli. Add the chopped kale and coco powder, taste for seasoning and leave it to carry on cooking. 

8. Bring a pan of water to the boil, rinse the rice and cook until tender.

9. In the meantime, heat a large frying pan over a high heat for the tortillas. Divide the dough into 8 and roll as thinly as possible on a floured worktop. Dry fry the tortillas for a couple of minutes each side. They will puff slightly and brown on the bubbles. Take care not to overcook them as they will go crisp. Hot and fast.

10. By now everything should be ready to enjoy together!

Chef Notes:
1. A quick cook for the chilli will give a lighter finish. A longer and slower cook almost melts the parsnip and celeriac to give a gooey texture.
2. For the tortillas it is important to use hot water as this allows the corn grains to swell and soften. Resting at room temperature is vital as this also allows them to absorb all the moisture. 

Robin Popham
Chef at ‘Create Terroir’ and Sandy Lane Farm veg box customer