White Stew

A couple of things to say before I start talking about food.  This morning, because of the time change, I ended up getting out of bed at a quarter to four, which is probably the earliest I have ever woken up.  I would kind of like to go back to sleep, but here I am, blogging...  and then I will be working my very tedious way through A Tale of Two Cities, which has got to be one of the most difficult books to work through and figure out what is going on.  Seriously, I can't understand half of what Dickens is saying, and if it is even relevent to the story.  Hopefully I will get the hang of it soon, and won't be slogging through the book so much.

This stew (which used to be chili, but both M and I agreed that it was more of a stew) looks really, really bland.  Really bland.  But it's not, which just goes to show you that you can't judge a book by its cover.  It actually turned quite thick, and is loaded with flavour.  And it made enough to feed an army, so much so that we had to move it into two pots before the night was over.  And it was such an excellent thing to eat on a cold night- a nice and hardy, and not to mention filling- stew, loaded with protein and other healthy things.  A great recharging stew for winter.

White Chili
Adapted from I Eat Food
Serves 8

2 cups dried great northern beans, soaked and cooked until tender

2 medium onions, chopped

7 cloves garlic, smashed

1 large yellow bell pepper, chopped

4 large Yukon gold potatoes, chopped

1/2 tbsp oregano

2-3 tsp thyme

1/2 tbsp Hungarian paprika

2-3 tsp chili powder

½ tbsp liquid smoke
2-3 tbsp Chinese mustard

1 tsp chili sauce

4-5 cups water
1 ½ tbsp Better Than Bullion Beef Flavouring
2 tbsp corn starch
1 vegetarian chicken, chopped (about 3 cups)

Heat a VERY large dutch oven over high heat with a bit of water. Sauté the onion for 2 minutes, and then add the garlic. Cook for 3 more minutes, and add the bell pepper. When the onions are tender, about 5 more minutes, add the potatoes through chili sauce. Add enough water to cover the veggies and then add the bullion. Bring to a boil and simmer, covered, until potatoes are almost tender, about 30 minutes.

Mix the corn starch with 1 cup water, and add that, with the chicken, to the pot. Mix thoroughly and simmer for 10 more minutes, until potatoes are tender and the stew is piping hot.