Our local natural history association board consists of 7 women and a man, and I love them all for their philosophy that a meeting without food is not worth attending! The group trades off hosting meetings at members’ homes, and the host provides the main course. They are all excellent cooks in their own right, and we’ve come to have a feel for each cook’s specialties. For instance, Marty makes a mean “Marty Burger” on the grill. And Lora often makes lovely desserts. And one of Joanna’s favorites is White Bean Chili with turkey burger. This past weekend, I had a hankering for Joanna’s soup, but decided I’d prefer it without meat. So here’s my re-write of the Betty Crocker recipe Joanna uses.
Almost Vegetarian White Chili
1 TBSP vegetable oil
2 medium onions, chopped (1 cup)
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
3 cups chicken broth (this is the “almost” part! Of course, you can substitute a veg broth.)
4 TBSP chopped fresh cilantro (ya just gotta use fresh… it’s a key ingredient and well worth it.)
4 TBSP lime juice
1 tsp ground cumin
red pepper sauce to taste (I like at least 3/4 tsp)
1 can (11 oz) white hominy, drained
1 can (15 oz) great northern beans, drained
1 can (15 oz) butter beans, drained
2 cups fresh cauliflower cut in bitesized pieces
1/2 cup slivers of fresh red pepper1. Heat oil in pan over medium heat. Cook onions and garl in oil, until onions are tender.>
2. Stir in remaining incredients. Heat to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer uncovered 20 minutes.
In my opinion, the key flavors are the fresh cilantro, the lime juice and the tabasco sauce. The original Betty Crocker menu is too subtle for me — I like the punch of a stronger flavor, so I double the amounts of those three. Mmmmm! It’s so good! Other times, I’ve improvised by adding a bit of leftover brown rice or cooked pearled barley.
