Recipe: Sweet Potato Chili With Polenta

Chocolate-Covered Katie's yummy-looking version

Warning! I have served this dish twice to my boys, and both times they gobbled it up!

(The following is a riff on "Chocolate-Covered Katie"'s recipe and Rose Reisman's from her vegetarian cookbook which seems to be out of print.)

Chili
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1-2 med. zucchini, diced
- 2-3 sweet potatoes, cubed
- half a fennel (anise) bulb, finely chopped

- 1-2 cans kidney beans
- 1 can diced tomatoes
- appx. 1 cup corn kernels, frozen or fresh (optional)
- 1 1/2 cups stock, chicken or veggie

- 1 tbs chili powder, or to taste
- 1 tbs ground cumin, or to taste (myself, I usually use a lot)
- salt, if desired

1. To prep the fennel, cut the bulb in half lengthwise and remove the feathery fronds. Then, remove the solid core of the bulb, cutting an upside-down "V"and prying it out. Thinly slice the de-cored half bulb, and finely chop.

2. Prep the other veggies.

3. Combine all ingredients in a large pot. Bring to a boil, and simmer until potatoes are soft. Chili often tastes even better when the flavours marry a bit --so make a big batch and eat it more than once!

Polenta
Chili over polenta was a big hit, but I have also served it over brown rice. (Toast is a great alternative when time is short.)

- 3 cups stock, chicken or veggie
- 1 cup polenta
- salt, if desired

1. Bring stock to a boil. Add polenta, and simmer gently for appx. 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and let stand a few minutes before serving.

What's your favourite vegetarian chili recipe?