Red Lentil Chili

In the period between Thanksgiving and the winter holidays, I often find myself seeking lighter, vegetarian recipes to counter the season's decadent feasting. This flavorful chili, with walnuts, bulgur, and lentils, is as satisfying as it is full of nutrient-rich ingredients. A wonderful, and quick to prepare dish that is sure to impress your favorite vegetarian or vegan friends, though your omnivore friends will love it too. Also, this is a comforting and healthy recipe to have on hand when you are looking for a heart-friendly weeknight supper.

Ingredients:

½ cup walnut halves

1 large yellow onion, cut in large chunks

2 jalapeño peppers, stems and seeds removed

5 garlic cloves, peeled

2 tablespoons avocado or canola oil

3 rounded tablespoons chili powder (see notes)

1 tablespoon ground cumin

2 teaspoons dried oregano

2 teaspoons smoked paprika

2 teaspoons mushroom powder (see notes)

Salt

1 tablespoon tomato paste

¼ cup dry red wine

1 (28-ounce) can crushed fire-roasted tomatoes

2 tablespoons soy sauce

4 cups vegetable or chicken broth

1 ½ cups water

2/3 cup red lentils

2/3 cup bulgur

2 (15-ounce) cans kidney beans, rinsed and drained

Directions:

Preheat a large soup pot over medium-low heat. Toast the walnuts, stirring frequently, until fragrant, about 3 minutes. Be careful not to burn. Cool slightly, then transfer the walnuts to the bowl of a food processor, and pulse until finely ground. Transfer ground nuts to a bowl and set aside.

Add the onion, jalapeños, and garlic cloves to the food processor. Pulse and blend until vegetables are just at a smooth purée.

Next return the soup pot to the stove, add the oil and increase the heat to medium. Add the chili powder, cumin, oregano, paprika and mushroom powder. Stir frequently to bloom the spices, about 1 minute. Next add the pureed onion mixture with a pinch of salt. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, for about 2 to 3 minutes. Push the vegetables aside to make a well in the center of the pot. Add the tomato paste to the well and cook for another minute, stirring and lightly toasting the paste. Add the wine and deglaze the pan, scrapping up any browned bits from the bottom. Then add the tomatoes, soy sauce, broth, and water. Bring to a boil, then stir in the lentils, bulgur, beans, and ground walnuts. Stir well and return to a simmer. Reduce heat to maintain a steady simmer, and cook gently, stirring occasionally, until the lentils are tender, about 15 to 20 minutes.

When the lentils are done, turn off the heat and taste for seasoning, adding more salt or soy sauce as needed. Let chili rest for 5 to 10 minutes to allow it to continue to thicken. Serve with your favorite chili garnishes.

Notes:

For this recipe use the chili powder blend, or "chili seasoning mix", that is found in most grocery stores. These spice blends are usually made with a blending of different ground chilis, cumin, with onion and garlic powder. You can also make your own chili powder blend with your favorite chilis.

Mushroom powder is a wonderful way to add rich umami flavor to vegetarian dishes. You can make your own mushroom powder by pulverizing a package of dried mushrooms (wild, morel, or porcini) with a blender or mortar and pestle. If you cannot find dried mushrooms or powder, you can add a few dashes of Worcestershire sauce as an umami substitute.

Bulgur is a parboiled wheat grain that has been cracked. It has a wonderful texture and nutty flavor. You can find it often in large bulk sections of some grocery stores, or in bags under natural brands like Bob's Red Mill.

This chili makes a wonderful vegetarian or vegan feast if using vegetable stock. For a little extra richness, you could use a chicken or even beef stock. However, with all the protein from the lentils and the fabulous texture of the bulgur, even the biggest carnivore will not miss the meat.

Serve with all your favorite chili toppings. We served it this week with grated cheese, sour cream, chopped scallions, and ripe avocado. Some corn bread on the side was perfect. This chili is also lovely served over baked potatoes. Leftovers will freeze beautifully. Enjoy.