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Classic Chili

Yield1 Serving

This spicy classic chili is sure to warm your bones on a cold winter’s night. Serve with cornbread and your choice of garnishes. It's sure to surprise and delight your non-veg family and friends.

Classic-Chili-Recipe-wb

Ingredients for Chili Paste*:
 4 dried whole árbol chilis (optional)
 4 dried whole chipotle chilis
 3 dried whole ancho chilis
 3 dried whole guajillo chilis
 2 dried whole pasilla chilis
 2 dried whole cascabel chilis (optional)
Ingredients for Chili:
 1 dried bay leaf
 1 tablespoon ground cumin
 1 tablespoon dried oregano
 1 teaspoon cayenne powder, optional or to taste (very spicy)
 1 teaspoon smoked paprika powder
 ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast, optional
 2 teaspoons kosher salt
 1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
 3 cups faux chicken stock (from bouillon cubes or paste)
 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
 1 pound Impossible meat
 1 medium yellow onion (diced)
 2 tablespoons tomato paste
 5 cloves fresh garlic, minced
 1 15-oz can diced tomatoes
 1 15-oz can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
 ½ lime, approximately 1 teaspoon
 Corn masa (optional)
Optional Garnishes
 Sour cream, vegan or dairy
 Cilantro, chopped
 Cotija cheese
 Colby jack shredded cheese, vegan or dairy
 Lime wedge
 Corn chip strips
 Serve with cornbread
Instructions for Chili Paste:
1

* If you cannot find all of these dried chilies, a variety of smoky and fruity together will balance the flavors such as chipotle (smoky) and guajillo (fruity). They are available in most supermarkets, specialty stores, or online.

Use gloves when deseeding the chilis. This will prevent any capsaicin from getting on your fingers and into places you don’t want.

2

Cut stems off all chilis, deseed, and cut into roughly 1-inch pieces.

3

Toast in a dry pan over medium heat and stir constantly until fragrant (2-3 minutes).

4

Add water until all the chilis are just covered and bring to a light simmer. Once simmering, turn off heat and cover. Let sit for 10 minutes.

5

Place chili pieces in a high-speed blender with a splash of the chili water and blend. Add more water as necessary until a smooth paste has formed.

Make the Chili:
6

Place dried bay leaf, ground cumin, dried oregano, cayenne, smoked paprika, ground cinnamon, nutritional yeast, salt, and pepper into a small bowl and set aside.

7

Create 3 cups of faux chicken stock out of cubes or paste and set aside.

8

In a wide stainless-steel pot, heat olive oil on medium-high until shimmering. Add one pound of Impossible meat and break into small pieces using a wooden spoon. Once broken into ground pieces, add dried spice blend and onion. Mix to combine.

9

Once most of the pink is gone from the meat, add tomato paste and garlic and thoroughly combine. Cook until meat is deeply browned. Occasionally stir until a beautiful deep brown fond has appeared on the bottom of the pot.*

10

Deglaze with your fake chicken stock, and scrape fond off the bottom of the pot using a wooden spoon.

11

Add diced tomatoes, kidney beans, and the juice of half a lime. Mix together. Add 1 cup of your chili paste and mix.

12

Slightly cover and lightly simmer -- stirring occasionally -- for 1½ to 3 hours, or until at desired thickness.*

13

Pour in bowls and top with the optional garnishes listed. Serve with our delicious, gluten-free cornbread recipe.

Note:
Another way of cooking this recipe is to place the chili in an oven proof dish and bake for 4 to 5 hours at 220 degrees F.

Fond, translated to “base” in French, is the residue that sticks to the bottom of the pot while cooking. Most people are afraid of this and tend to avoid creating it. Incorporating fond into your dish creates an immaculate depth of flavor and richness to any recipe. To get fond off the bottom of your pot, deglaze the pan with a liquid and scrape off the bottom with a wooden spoon. The fond should release easily from the bottom of the pot and infuse the dish with flavor.