There must be as many recipes for chili as there are cooks. This one has the surprising addition of lentils and the smoky spiciness of chipotles.

　　

Ingredients

serves 4 to 6

　　2 cups chopped onions

　　3 garlic cloves, minced or pressed

　　1 teaspoon salt

　　2 tablespoons olive oil

　　1 tablespoon minced canned chipotles in adobo sauce (see page 286)

　　1 red or green bell pepper, diced

　　1 15-ounce can of red kidney beans, drained

　　1 15-ounce can of lentils, undrained

　　1 15-ounce can of diced tomatoes

　　1 tablespoon minced fresh cilantro

　　Sour cream (optional)

　　

Step 1

In a soup pot, sauté the onions, garlic, and salt in the oil until soft, 5 to 10 minutes.

　　

Step 2

Add the chipotles and the bell peppers, cover, and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in the beans, lentils, and tomatoes. Cover and simmer on low heat for 5 to 10 minutes or until everything is hot. Stir in the cilantro. Serve topped with sour cream, if you wish.

　　

Ingredient Note

Step 3

In addition to or in place of the chipotles, add 2 teaspoons Chili Powder (page 235).

　　

Serving & menu ideas

Step 4

Serve spooned over Polenta (page 184)or Yellow Rice (page 179), or with cornbread or tortilla chips. Then cool your palate with Mango Coconut Sorbet (page 271).

　　From Moosewood Restaurant Simple Suppers: Fresh Ideas for the Weeknight Table. Copyright © 2017 by Moosewood Collective. Published by Clarkson Potter, an imprint of Penguin Random House, LLC. Buy the full book from ThriftBooks or Amazon.