Eggplant Lentil Chili

As soon as autumn shows itself I feel an utter rush of inspiration. This year has been quite the interesting one for me, with lots of changes and adventures, but it still doesn't feel like winter is really approaching. And yet, here we are! At the beginning of November!

With all of the work that I've been putting into my latest e-book, creating new recipes for my blog hasn't been a very big priority for me. When Friday came and I started thinking about my impending trip to the grocery store Saturday morning, I realized that I didn't have any more recipes to develop for Vegan Holiday Treats. I knew it was time to try something I had been wanting to create for about a month.

When I was visiting my family in New Hampshire with Chris at the end of September, we stopped to pick up groceries at my favorite health food store in Manchester. We ended up getting lunch to go, too. I purchased a bowl of some sort of eggplant curry from their hot bar and really enjoyed it. When we got home, Chris recommended that I try using eggplant in a recipe for chili instead. Which is exactly what I decided to do.

If I learned anything from working for Better Than Fred's (my family's salsa company) it's that a combination of peppers is the key to bringing out the flavor in a spicy dish. The eggplant would be sweet and would soften considerably after simmering. So which peppers would go well with it? I chose to use a poblano and some jalapeno, adding a small amount of dried spices, and using lentils as the protein. It came out so well, and it is the perfect level of heat for me (mild to medium). If you like a spicier chili, use the whole jalapeno instead of just half, and then add more of the other spices to taste.

INGREDIENTS
1 eggplant, peeled and diced into very small cubes
1 poblano pepper, very finely diced
1/2 jalapeno pepper, very finely diced
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 cloves of garlic, minced
2 shallots or one small onion, diced
1 cup frozen corn kernels
1 cup dry lentils
1 28-ounce can plain diced tomatoes
2 1/2 to 3 cups vegetable broth (or water with equivalent bouillon)
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons chili powder
1/2 teaspoon garam masala
1/4 teaspoon powdered cayenne pepper

DIRECTIONS
Warm the olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic, shallots, and corn and saute until softened and slightly browned. Then add the remaining ingredients. Cover and bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Allow to simmer for 30-40 minutes with the lid ajar until your desired consistency is reached. Taste a bit and adjust seasonings to your liking.

Serve with your favorite corn chips or even cornbread.

Makes 4-6 servings.