Buck's Weeknight pumpkin chili
Here's a great vegetarian version of a well known weekend pumpkin chili recipe (see link at the bottom). Squash brings body and gentle sweetness, yet the dinner still manages to taste savory. It's the recipe that helps us keep that balance.
Cumin, Ground (Organic)
Cumin supplies a dry, earthy bass note, particularly welcome beside sweet vegetables, pulses and dairy. The ground form disperses readily, while whole seeds offer a more distinct texture and aroma. You could go either way depending on your preference.
Coriander, Ground, Organic
Ground coriander brings a rounded, citrus-like aroma rather than the green flavor of fresh cilantro leaves (which is the same plant). It is useful beside cumin because it can lighten cumin's earthiness without supplying sourness.
Paprika, Hungarian Sweet
Sweet paprika gives a red-pepper flavor with relatively gentle heat. For our own cooking it is useful when we want pepper flavor without making every bite aggressively hot.
Buck's pumpkin-and-bean chili
Makes four generous bowls. Our own spice mix is 1 tablespoon ground coriander, 2 teaspoons ground cumin, 1 teaspoon sweet paprika and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper.
Have ready 1.5 pounds peeled pumpkin, cut into roughly 3/4-inch pieces; 2 tablespoons olive oil; 1 chopped onion; 3 chopped garlic cloves; 1 chopped red bell pepper; one 14-ounce can chopped tomatoes; two 14-ounce cans kidney beans, drained; 2 cups plus 2 tablespoons vegetable stock; 1 tablespoon cider vinegar; and salt to taste. Prepare and cook rice with fresh cilantro if you like.
Heat the oven to 410°F. Toss the pumpkin with half the oil on a tray and roast until browned at the edges and tender, checking after 25 minutes. The pieces will stay visible in the finished chili.
Meanwhile, soften the onion and bell pepper in the remaining oil in a large pot. Add the garlic and stir until its raw smell softens. Stir in the spices, then the tomatoes, beans and stock. Simmer gently, uncovered, until the broth has enough body to coat the beans, about 20 minutes. Stir now and then so the bottom does not stick.
Fold in the cooked pumpkin. Add the vinegar, taste, and salt according to the broth and beans you used. Serve over rice. This pot is deliberately meatless, tomato-rich and made with roast pumpkin pieces.
After the first pot
If it tastes sweet rather than savory, try a little more vinegar before adding more spices. If the cumin dominates, a little extra tomato and stock can restore balance. For a hotter bowl, put a chile condiment on the table instead of changing the whole pot.
Pumpkin varieties differ in moisture, keep this in mind. Add stock to thin, if needed.
Buck's isn't affiliated with Bon Appétit.
Read the authorized recipe or source page for then Bon Appetit recipe.