| The Vegetarian Chili Cookbook: 80 Deliciously Different One-Dish Meals Authors: Robin Robertson, Robin Roberston Today, when millions of households contain--and almost any party will include--both vegetarians and meateaters, vegetarian chili takes away the guesswork: it's robust enough for carnivores, and it's sure to please vegetarians. Robin Roberston serves up a tasty invitation to discover how surprisingly versatile this timeless favorite can be. From mild concoctions suitable for fussy kids to five-alarm conflagrations for committed chileheads, these recipes are brimming with creative ideas and satisfying flavors. What makes a dish chili? Can there really be 80 distinct versions of this much-loved dish, and all without the meat? For Robertson, any stew-like dish qualifies as chili if it is made with chili powder and includes some combination of cumin, oregano, tomatoes, beans, onions, and garlic. She offers enough variety in this modest, clearly written book that you could make dozens of her recipes and easily tell them apart. To vary her creations, Robertson uses different kinds of beans and lentils. She also calls for soy and other meat alternatives, such as seitan, the chewy, low-fat food made from wheat protein. Robertson invents unexpected combinations, like Jamaican Jerk Chili, made with tempeh, a kind of fermented soybean cake, with allspice and oregano, plus a shot of rum. Spicy Apple Raisin Chili, a sweet, mild dish made with apple juice, cinnamon, and brown sugar, is an extremely daring recipe to say the least, and may not appeal to everyone. Hot-heads will like the collection of superincendiary chilis. They are made with four tablespoons of a generously cayenne-spiked chili powder that Robertson has you make from scratch. A jug of water is recommended to accompany these chilis! Most of the recipes are easily put together, including the basic chili powder, which uses only ground chiles, cumin, and oregano, and skips the bitter dried garlic and salt that mars commercial brands. The Vegetarian Chili Cookbook is a deliciously different book. --Dana Jacobi | ||||||
