Bean and Vegetable Chili

A traditional chili made special. Kidney beans or pinto beans are a good starting point, but also consider chickpeas, black beans, cannellini, navy beans, cranberry beans, marrow beans, borlotti, or even lentils (which break down and lend a terrific meatiness). Any or all of these will give you a creamy, earthy bowl of chili.

The same flexibility goes for the vegetables: You can swap the eggplant, zucchini, and mushrooms for almost anything you have in the fridge. And don’t hesitate to toss in a cup of cooked grains like wheat berries, wild rice, or barley.

3 tablespoons olive oil

½ pound ground beef, pork, turkey, or chicken (optional)

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 whole onion, unpeeled; plus 1 small onion, minced

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1 or 2 small eggplants (peeled if you like), cubed

1 medium zucchini, chopped; or use more eggplant

1 or 2 carrots, chopped

1 cup quartered mushrooms or a handful of rinsed dried porcini

1 fresh or dried hot chile, seeded and minced, or to taste (optional)

1 teaspoon ground cumin, or to taste

1 teaspoon minced fresh oregano leaves or ½ teaspoon dried oregano

1 cup peeled, seeded, chopped tomato (canned is fine; don’t bother to drain)

4 cups cooked kidney beans or pinto beans, liquid reserved (canned are fine)

2 cups vegetable stock, or water, more or less as needed (optional)

Chopped fresh cilantro or parsley for garnish

1 Put the oil in a large pot over medium heat, and when the oil is hot add the meat if you’re using it. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and cook, stirring frequently, until it is well browned all over, about 10 minutes. Remove the meat from the pan and drain off all but 3 tablespoons of the fat. (If you’re skipping the meat, put the oil in the pan and start the recipe here.)

2 Return the pan to the stove, this time over medium-high heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook and stir until just softened, about a minute. Add the vegetables, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until they begin to soften and become fragrant, adjusting the heat so that nothing scorches. After about 10 minutes, the vegetables should start to caramelize a bit and dry out.

3 Add the seasonings and stir, then add the tomatoes and beans, with enough of their liquid to submerge everything (use some stock or water if you don’t have enough). Bring the mixture to a boil and cook, stirring occasionally and adding more liquid if necessary, until the beans are very tender and the flavors have mellowed, about 15 minutes. Taste, adjust the seasoning, and garnish with cilantro. Serve with brown rice, crackers, tortilla chips, or whole grain bread.

Bean and Vegetable Chili with Tofu: Instead of the ground meat, crumble as much as 1 pound of tofu into the hot oil in Step 1.