Craig's Recipes

Cashew Chili

This is a nice vegetarian cashew chili recipe that I like. Go easy on the raisins the first time you make this, as they can make it too sweet.

If you prefer something more conventional, I also have my favorite recipe for Classic American Chili Con Carne.

Ingredients

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 medium onion -- chopped

1 medium green pepper -- chopped

2 stalks celery -- chopped

½ teaspoon crushed red pepper (optional)

2 cups cooked kidney beans -- drained

1½ cups tomato sauce -- two 8 ounce cans

2 cups corn -- cooked

2 cups whole tomatoes -- one 18-ounce can

3 teaspoons chili powder

3 drops hot pepper sauce

1 teaspoon cumin -- ground

2 cloves garlic -- minced

1 teaspoon dried basil

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 bay leaf

½ teaspoon black pepper

1/3 cup raisins

1 cup whole cashews

Monterey jack or pepper jack cheese -- shredded (optional -- not Vegan)

Preparing the Dish

In a large saucepan or Dutch oven, sauté the onion, green pepper, and celery, and if you want a little extra kick, the crushed red pepper, in the olive oil until crisp-tender, about ten minutes.

Add the beans, tomato sauce, corn, tomatoes, chili powder, pepper sauce, cumin, garlic, basil, oregano, bay leaf, and pepper. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer 30 minutes to blend flavors.

Stir in the raisins and cashews; continue to simmer until the raisins are plump and the cashews are tender, about 20 minutes.

To serve, ladle into bowls and top each serving with grated cheese. Serve with additional cheese.

You can eliminate most of the fat by forgetting about the cheese, and replacing the olive oil with ¼ cup of water and using a non-stick (Silverstone or similar) pot.