Mardi Gras Vegetable Chili

Total Time: 1 hr 47 mins Preparation Time: 1 hr 30 mins Cook Time: 17 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 6
• 6 large dried california chilies
• 4 cups canned vegetable broth
• 1 large eggplant, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 large red bell pepper, chopped
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground allspice
• 2 teaspoons dried mexican oregano
• 1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
• 1/2 tablespoon red jalapeno powder
• 1 (14 1/2 ounce) can diced tomatoes with garlic
• 1 (15 ounce) can yellow hominy, drained
• 1 (15 ounce) can kidney beans, drained
• 1 cup chopped parsley
• 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 tablespoon masa harina (dissolved in 1/2 cup warm water)

Recipe

• 1 put the dried chiles in a large heatproof bowl and cover with boiling water; let stand 30 minutes, until soft; then seed and stem the peppers.
• 2 in a food processor or blender, puree the chiles with 2 cups vegetable broth; set aside.
• 3 preheat oven to 350°; coat the eggplant with the oil and place in a single layer in a 14 x 11 inch baking pan.
• 4 sprinkle with 2 teaspoons salt; bake for about 30 minutes, until tender.
• 5 remove from the oven and set aside.
• 6 in a dutch oven, saute the onions, garlic, and bell pepper in the vegetable oil.
• 7 when the veggies are soft, add in the chile puree and cooked eggplant along with the cumin, allspice, oregano, black pepper, the remaining ½ teaspoon salt, the jalapeno powder, tomatoes, hominy, beans, parsley, sugar, and remaining 2 cups broth.
• 8 cook over low heat at a simmering boil for 15 minutes.
• 9 add in the masa harina mixture; cook for 2 minutes.