This recipe is drawn from Food 52:Vegan by Gena Hamshaw. I don't prepare vegan food per se,(in fact, I just finished eating a toasted bacon sandwich), but happen to be very fond of sweet potatoes, and am not averse to black beans, which are two primary ingredients in this recipe. Plus, it seems like a nice kind of warm and earthy dish to eat at this time of year.
The suggested topping for this dish is sliced avocado and chives, but since I had only hard rock-hard avocados available when I made it, I decided to photograph the chili with some sour cream on top.
Ingredients:
- 1 tbsp. olive oil
- 2 cups chopped white or yellow onion
- 4 cups peeled and diced sweet potatoes, cubed
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 chipotle in adobo, finely chopped
- 1 tbsp. chili powder
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 14.5-oz (398 mL) can diced tomatoes
- 3 1/2 cups (875 mL) cooked black beans
- 1 1/2 cups (375 mL) vegetable broth, plus more as needed
- salt
- 1 avocado, sliced, for garnish
- a handful of thinly sliced chives or green onions
Instructions:
Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté until tender, then add the sweet potatoes and garlic and sauté for another 8 to 10 minutes. Add the chipotle in adobo, chili powder, cumin, and paprika and cook, stirring constantly. Next, stir in the tomatoes, beans and broth and bring to a boil. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until the sweet potatoes are tender, (30 to 35 minutes). Add more broth if the chili becomes too thick, and finally, season with salt to taste. The longer this chili sits, (within reason), the more the flavours will come together. Serve it topped with avocado and chives.
Editorial Note: If your chili tastes too acidic, add a tablespoon of white sugar to the pot. I also like adding a spoonful of cocoa powder to all of my chilis, vegan or not.
