I was at a farm market the other day and became mesmerized by the colours and aromas of the produce being offered. And the peppers, tomatoes, onions, garlic, corn and other items I saw caused me to think they would taste wonderful simmered into a summer dish.
I bought a bunch of things, stewed about what to make, and then decided to cook up a big pot of what I called summer vegetable chili. Not a typical make-in-the-summer kind of dish, but I had a craving for chili and knew it would become next-level when made with the very fresh local vegetables I had purchased.
It took a bit of time to cut and prepare all the vegetables needed for the chili, but once that work was done it was easy to make.
That process began by sautéeing diced peppers, onions, celery and carrots in olive oil until softened, and then chopped garlic and spices were stirred in. Canned, drained beans, which could be black beans or kidney beans, fresh corn kernels and diced fresh tomatoes were then added to the pot.
The chili was brought to a simmer, and simmered about 30 minutes, until the fresh tomatoes in it cooked, softened, broke apart and help to thicken the chili.
To serve the chili, I ladled it into bowls and topped each serving with a dollop of sour cream (you could also use thick yogurt), some grated cheese and some chopped cilantro.
I also like to serve cornbread with chili, and in this case I made a loaf of it that I flavoured with grated zucchini and some of the same grated cheese I topped the chili with. I also decorated the top of the cornbread with thin slices of zucchini.
My chili recipe yields six servings and any leftovers you have of it, and the cornbread, will freeze well, and be at the ready to thaw and enjoy at another time.
Summer Vegetable Chili
This recipe simmers together a farm-market haul of fresh vegetables into a tasty chili stocked with beans, spices and herbs. Serve it with slices of the cornbread flecked with zucchini and cheese.
Preparation time: one hour
Cooking time: 41 to 46 minutes
Makes: six servings
3 Tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion, diced (cut into 1/4- to 1/2-inch cubes)
1 medium green bell pepper, halved, seeded and diced
1 medium yellow bell pepper, halved, seeded and diced
1 large jalapeno pepper, halved, seeded and finely chopped
3/4 cup diced carrot
3/4 cup diced celery
2 large garlic cloves, minced
3 Tbsp tomato paste
1 Tbsp chili powder
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp oregano
4 cup diced fresh tomatoes (see Note 1)
2 (14 oz./398 mL) can black beans or red kidney beans, drained, rinsed, and drained again
1 cup vegetable or chicken stock
3/4 cup fresh corn kernels (see Note 2)
1 Tbsp brown sugar
• salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• sour cream or thick plain yogurt, to taste
• grated aged cheddar cheese or plain or flavoured Monterey Jack or havarti cheese, to taste
• chopped cilantro or sliced green onions, to taste
Place the oil in a large pot (mine was 8 inches wide, and 6 inches tall) and set over medium, medium-high heat. Add the onion, bell peppers, jalapeno, carrot and celery and cook and stir five minutes. Mix in the garlic, tomato paste, chili powder, cumin and oregano and cook and stir one to two minutes more.
Add the tomatoes, beans, stock, corn and sugar to the pot and mix well to combine. Bring chili to a gentle simmer, lowering the heat as needed to maintain that gentle simmer (the chili will look very thick, but will loosen when the tomatoes cook). Gently simmer chili, partially covered (don’t completely cover; steam needs to escape) 30 to 35 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until thickened and delicious. Taste and season the chili with salt and pepper.
To serve, ladle the chili into bowls, and then top each serving with a dollop of sour cream (or yogurt) and some grated cheese and chopped cilantro (or green onions).
Note 1: Two very large (about 325 grams each) ripe tomatoes, or three to four medium ones, cored, should yield the diced amount needed here.
Note 2: One medium cob of corn, after shucking and cutting the kernels off the cob, should yield the 3/4 cup of kernels needed here.
Cornbread with Zucchini and Cheese
This savoury loaf of cornbread is flecked with bits of grated zucchini and cheese. Slice and serve it with chili and any other dish you think it would work with.
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 42 to 45 minutes
Makes: one loaf (about 6 two slices each servings)
1 large egg
1 1/4 cups milk
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 cup cornmeal
1 cup all-purpose flour
3 Tbsp granulated sugar
1 Tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup packed grated zucchini
1/2 cup grated aged cheddar cheese or plain or flavoured Monterey Jack or havarti cheese
12 to 14 very thin, round slices zucchini (see Note)
• vegetable oil spray
Preheat oven to 350 F. Evenly grease an 8 1/2- by 4 1/2-inch non-stick loaf pan with vegetable oil spray. Cut a piece of parchment paper the size of the bottom of the pan and set it there.
Break the egg into a medium bowl and beat until the yolk and white are well blended. Mix in the milk and oil.
Place the cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in another medium bowl and whisk until thoroughly combined. Add the grated zucchini and cheese and mix until well coated with the flour mixture.
Add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix until just combined. Spoon the batter into the pan. Top the batter with two, overlapping rows of thinly sliced zucchini.
Bake the cornbread for 42 to 45 minutes, or until the loaf springs back when touched gently in the very centre. Cool the loaf in the pan on a baking rack for 15 minutes, then turn it out onto a cutting board. Slice and enjoy the cornbread when warm or at room temperature.
Note: I used a mandolin to very thinly slice the zucchini. You could also use a hand-held slicer or a very sharp, thin bladed knife. You need to very thinly the zucchini so you can easily cut through it once the loaf of cornbread is baked and ready to serve.
Eric options: Instead of a loaf, make savoury cornbread muffins. To do so, grease a 12-cup non-stick muffin tin with vegetable oil spray. Spoon the batter into the prepared pan. Top each muffin with a slice of zucchini. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, or until muffins spring back when gently touched in the centre. Let muffins sit in the pan five minutes or so, and then remove from the pan and serve warm or at room temperature.
Eric Akis is the author of eight cookbooks. His columns appear in the Life section Wednesday and Sunday.
