I Love Isa and I Love Tempeh Chili

Since this is my first post on this brand new, super awesome blog, I thought I should use an Isa recipe. Anybody who knows me in the "kitchen sense" knows that I am in love with Isa Chandra Moskowitz and her amazing recipes. That lady is all sorts of awesome and every single recipe of hers is nothing short of perfect.

I knew that I wanted to rock a soup for this first post and I wanted that soup to have my favorite sources of protein...beans and tempeh. I remembered that the Post Punk Kitchen (Isa's website) had a Tempeh Chili Con Frijoles recipe. I gave it a read this morning and decided it would be the perfect kickoff to this site. It's something that is tried and true and somehow totally revamped and new. I whipped up some kind of wonderful cornbread to accompany it and a dinner was born. Not just any dinner, mind you. The kind of dinner that makes this especially chilly and grey fall night seem not so bad.

Recipe:

1 8 ounce package tempeh, diced medium

1 medium yellow onion, diced small

2 green bell peppers, diced small

3 large carrots, diced small

6 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons olive oil

2 teaspoons soy sauce

3 tablespoons chili powder

2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1/2 to 1 teaspoon black pepper

2 15 ounce cans kidney beans

1 cup good dark beer

2 15 ounce cans diced tomatoes (I used Muir Glen Fire Roasted Diced Peppers)

3 tablespoons tomato paste

1 1/2 cups veggie broth or water

2 teaspoons pure maple syrup

Juice of 1/2 a lemon

Fresh cilantro (however much your heart desires)

In a large heavy pot, saute carrots, onion, and green bell pepper over med-high heat, until tender and a little brown, stirring occasionally. This can take between ten and twenty minutes.

At the same time, put tempeh in a large frying pan and fill with water until it is almost covered. Add the soy sauce and let simmer over high heat for 15 minutes or until water is absorbed, stirring occasionally. When water is mostly absorbed, mash tempeh with a fork, so it’s crumbly but still chunky. Lower heat to medium and add 2 teaspoons olive oil , saute for 15 more minutes.

At this point, the twenty minutes for your veggies should be up. Add garlic and saute one minute, then add salt and spices (except cilantro, you add that last) and saute a minute more. Add beer and deglaze the pot. Cook for 2 minutes. Add tomato sauce, tomato paste, beans and water. Your tempeh should be done cooking so add that as well. Lower heat to medium, stir it up and cover for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Uncover and cook 30 more minutes stirring occasionally. Add maple syrup, lemon juice and stir it up. Add cilantro. Serve!

I promise you, kind reader, you will be nothing short of satisfied once you've given this a try. Seriously, go for it. Now.