LENTEN VEGETARIAN CHILI - POSNO CHILI

Kad je supa, jest ćemo skupa!!! That’s what my old Kum used to say to us! When there’s soup, we eat together.

While this soup (is it a supa or a čorba?....thick enough to be a čorba, but containing no roux) does not come from any of my ancestors, it was derived by me from necessity. With the Lenten season upon us, we Orthodox Christians refrain from eating meat, eggs and dairy products. I will be posting mostly Lenten foods until the arrival of Pascha ( Easter).

It is a different take on the classic chili recipe. This hearty soup, thickened with the addition of barley, will satisfy the biggest of appetites. Use whichever beans that you prefer. Same with the diced tomatoes…..plain or with green chiles added……it doesn’t matter!


LENTEN VEGETARIAN CHILI - POSNO CHILI

Ingredients
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 cups chopped onion
• 1 cup diced carrots
• 2 cups diced celery
• Chopped jalapeno or banana pepper * optional
• 1 cup chopped red bell pepper
• 2 tablespoons chili powder
• 2 cans sliced mushrooms
• 2 (28 ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes with liquid, chopped or mixed*
• 1 (15 ounce) can kidney beans, semi-drained
• 1 (15 ounce) can white, black or Northern beans
• 1 (15 ounce) can whole kernel corn, drained
• 2 tablespoons chili powder
• 2 tablespoons cumin
• 1 1/2 tablespoons dried oregano
• 1 1/2 tablespoons dried basil
• 1/2 tablespoon garlic powder
• ¾ cup barley cooked in 4 cups water for ½ hr, drained, rinsed if too starchy
• 1 tablespoon fresh chopped cilantro
Directions
1. Heat the oil in a large pot or dutch oven over medium heat. Cook and stir the onions, celery and carrots in the pot until tender. Add peppers and spices. Continue cooking 5 minutes, or until peppers are tender.
2. Mix the mushrooms into the pot. Stir in the tomatoes with liquid, beans with or w/o liquid, kidney beans with or w/o liquid, and corn. Season with cumin, oregano, basil, and garlic powder. Add drained cooked barley. Simmer on low heat for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Extra water may need to be added if it get too thick. Top with cilantro just before serving.

Some of the interchangeable ingredients

Enough soup for a day or two!!!
Prijatno!


Christians should make every effort to fast as well as they can, in secret, so that God would see and bless their openly with a holy life. Each person most do his best in the light of the given ideal.