Cashew Chili Recipe

There were a few requests for the chili recipe mentioned in the previous post, so here it is. This comes from the Cabbagetown Cookbook.

1 1/2 cups uncooked pinto or kidney beans, sorted for stones and rinsed
6 cups water
2 bay leaves
2 T light vegetable oil
2 onions chopped
4 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
2 green peppers, chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
1 T butter
2 T ground cumin
1 T ground coriander
1/4 t cayenne
1/2 t dried or finely chopped fresh oregano
1/2 t dried basil or 2 t finely chopped fresh basil
1/2 t dried dill weed or 1 T finely chopped fresh dill
1/2 t black pepper
2 t salt
1 quart canned tomatoes
1/2 cup cashews
2 t red wine vinegar

1. Measure the beans, water, and bay leaves into a medium-size pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer, partially covered, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking. Cook until the beans are tender, about 2 hours.
2. In a soup pot, heat the oil. Add the onions and garlic and saute for about 2 minutes. Add the green peppers and celery, and cook until the veggies are tender but still crisp, 8-10 minutes.
3. Melt in the butter, then add the spices, herbs, pepper, and salt. Saute for 1-2 minutes stirring frequently so nothing burns. (Cooking the spices takes the raw edge off their flavor.)
4. Add the tomatoes and the tomato juice to the mixture, and crush the tomatoes with a wooden spoon. Simmer for 10 minutes, then remove from the heat until the beans are ready.
5. Toast the cashews in a 350ºF oven or toaster oven for 20 minutes, or until lightly browned. Be careful not to burn them. Once cashews start to brown, they burn quickly.
6. Add the cooked beans, liquid and all, to the veggie mixture. Add the toasted cashews and the vinegar. Simmer for 30 minutes to blend the flavors.
7. Taste and adjust the seasonings.
8. Serve the chili hot.

OK, so that is the recipe out of the book. I will use canned beans if I am in a hurry. I use more garlic than the recipe calls for. I use diced, fire roasted tomatoes. I use red and orange (or yellow) bell peppers instead of green. If the chili looks too thick before the final simmer, I will sometimes pour in a bottle of beer, or some wine (which ever I am drinking at the stove). Makes a dynamite batch of chili. Serve with salad and bread.