This year, Coseppi Kitchen answered the call to duty when the Austin Food Blogger Alliance (AFBA) asked for volunteers to represent the organization at the 24th Annual Lone Star Vegetarian Chili Cook-Off. With the help of some AFBA volunteers including Jessica of Bake Me Away (see her write-up here), we made five gallons of Black Bean, Lentil, and Eggplant Chili and served hundreds of Cook-Off attendees! After braving the wind, some knife nicks, and a few steam burns, we went on to win the “All Veg” Category and the greatest honor of all, People’s Choice!

Thanks goes out to everyone who helped including Jessica, Gabe Hasser, Taylor’s parents Mike and Shelly who came down from Fort Worth to help, and the folks who lent us the equipment – Stephen Palmer, Clayton Ernst, and Molly Frisinger.  We also need to thank Johnson’s Backyard Garden for the delicious eggplant and cilantro that carried us through to victory!

Lone Star Vegetarian Chili Cook-Off
First Place All Veg and People’s Choice

Black Bean, Lentil, and Eggplant Chili

Ingredients

• ½ pound black beans, pre-soaked overnight
• 2 dried chili pasilla peppers, stemmed
• 4 large cloves garlic, diced and divided
• 3 bay leaves
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 dried chili pasilla peppers
• 3 dried chili cascabel peppers
• 2 dried chipotle peppers
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 1 poblano pepper, diced
• 1 pound eggplant, cut into 1/4 inch cubes
• ½ 15-ounce can crushed tomatoes
• ½ 15-ounce can diced tomatoes
• 1 quart water
• 1 tablespoon vegetable Better-than-Bouillon
• ½ cup dry green lentils
• Juice of 2 key limes
• Salt to taste

Preparation

1. Boil the black beans with 2 stemmed chili pasilla peppers, 3 bay leaves, and half of the diced garlic until soft, about 1 1/2 hours.
2. While the beans are cooking, finely dice (or use a food processor) the remaining chiles pasillas, chiles cascabeles, and chipotle peppers.
3. When black beans are tender, remove from heat.
4. Saute the onion, diced dried chilies, and ground cumin in olive oil over medium-high heat until the onions are soft and the cumin is fragrant, about 10 minutes.
5. Add the remaining diced garlic and the diced poblano pepper, and saute for 5 minutes more.
6. Add the eggplant and a pinch of salt, then continue to saute until it is tender, about 8 minutes.
7. Add the crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes, water, Better-than-Bouillon, and lentils.  Bring to boil then lower heat to simmer, stirring occasionally, until the lentils are almost cooked, about 30 minutes.
8. Add the cooked black beans and let the chili simmer until the lentils are soft and the flavors have melded, about 30 minutes more. The longer you let the chili simmer, the thicker it will become, so you can adjust based on your preferences.
9. Season with salt to taste and add the key lime juice.
10. Serve with fresh chopped cilantro, diced jalapenos (for extra heat), or your preferred chili topping.

These baked chiles rellenos pair the creamy sweetness of sweet potatoes with the smoky heat of poblano peppers.  We used smaller, almost bite-size poblanos and served these as an appetizer at a recent gathering, but larger poblanos would work well for entree portions.  Either way, serve these with our Cilantro Lime Aioli for a delicious treat!

Sweet Potato Chiles Rellenos

Ingredients

• 2 pounds poblano peppers
• 2 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 large yellow onion, chopped finely
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground cumin
• 1/4 cup diced tomatoes
• 1 cup bread crumbs
• 1 cup corn meal
• 1 cup unsweetened milk substitute (soy, coconut, almond, etc)
• cooking spray
• salt to taste

Preparation

1. Top, seed, and roast the poblanos. See our Roasted Peppers post for instructions.  You might want to wear gloves if you are sensitive to hot peppers (or prone to touching sensitive areas!).
2. Boil the sweet potatoes in lightly salted water until they are soft, about 25 minutes.
3. Saute the garlic and onion in olive oil on medium heat until the onions just begin to brown, about 10 minutes.
4. Combine the sauteed ingredients with the boiled sweet potatoes and ground cumin.  Mash together and season with salt to taste.
5. In a large shallow bowl, combine the cornmeal and breadcrumbs along with about 1 teaspoon of salt.
6. Lightly coat the baking sheet with cooking spray.
7. Stuff each roasted poblano with the mashed sweet potato mixture.
8. Dip each stuffed pepper into the milk substitute and then roll in the breadcrumb/cornmeal mixture until coated. Place each chili relleno on the baking sheet.
9. Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for about 15 minutes until the breading becomes lightly browned.

Cilantro Lime Aioli

Use this sauce to give a fresh lime kick to your next dish!

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup vegan mayonnaise substitute
• 1 cup fresh cilantro leaves
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 4 key limes, juiced
• Salt to taste

Preparation

Combine ingredients in a blender and process until smooth.

Causa is a wonderful Peruvian dish that basically amounts to a fish, seafood, or vegetable salad sandwiched between two layers of mashed potatoes seasoned with Peruvian aji chilies.  Causa has become a symbol of the creativity inherent in modern Peruvian cuisine, with chefs and home cooks alike making their own unique versions that follow the basic format.

Typically, Peruvian yellow and white potatoes are used in a causa, but to celebrate the fall and practice some creativity of our own, we used delicious sweet potatoes from Johnson’s Backyard Garden (along with several of their other seasonal veggie offerings) to make this version.

Sweet Potato Causa

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 pounds sweet potatoes
• 4 sweet carmen peppers (or one large red bell pepper), roasted, peeled, and chopped
• 2 tablespoons aji amarillo paste
• 4 key limes, juiced
• 1 25-ounce can chickpeas, drained
• 1/2 medium purple onion, juilienned
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley leaves, chopped
• 1/4 cup vegan mayonnais
• Salt to taste

Preparation

1. Boil the potatoes with the skin on until very soft, about 30 minutes. When cool to the touch, peel with your fingers then mash in a large bowl. Add aji amarillo and the juice of two key limes to the mashed potatoes and season with salt to taste. Set the potato mixture aside.
2. In another bowl, mash the chickpeas. Add onions, parsley, roasted peppers, vegan mayonnaise, and the juice of the other two key limes. Season with salt to taste.
3. Assemble the causa in a large casserole dish. Make an even layer of the potato mixture on the bottom of the dish then make a layer using all of the chickpea salad. Finish with a top layer of the potato mixture. Decorate as desired.  Serve at room temperature or slightly chilled.

Cream of Mushroom Soup

Ingredients

• 3/4 pound white potatoes, peeled and chopped
• 2 cups vegetable broth
• 1 tablespoon non-margarine butter substitute
• 8 ounces button mushrooms, sliced
• 1 large leek, finely chopped
• 1 large clove garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup plain, unsweetened almond milk
• 1/2 teaspoon soy sauce (gluten-free if required)

Preparation

1. Bring potatoes and broth to a boil in a medium sauce pan until tender, about 15 minutes.
2. While potato is boiling, melt the butter substitute over medium heat in a large pot.
3. Add leeks, mushrooms, and garlic, stirring to coat. Continue cooking, stirring frequently, until mushrooms have expressed their liquid and the leeks are soft, about 8 minutes.
4. Once potatoes are soft, add the potatoes and broth to the saute and combine. Add almond milk and soy sauce. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
5. Transfer mixture to a blender and combine until smooth, about 45 seconds.
6. Serve warm.

Pasties are basically the British version of empanadas or calzones, and are quite popular in the Midwest of the United States.  Pasties originally gained popularity with workers in colder climes, whose wives would pack freshly-baked pasties that would hold some of their warmth throughout the day.  Nowadays, with the advent of microwaves and toaster ovens, you can enjoy these whenever you’d like!

Sweet Potato and Broccoli Pasties

Ingredients

Dough

• 1-3/4 cups flour (or gluten-free substitute)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup non-margarine butter substitute
• 6 to 10 tablespoons water

Filling

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 cup mushrooms, sliced
• 1 small sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch cubes
• 1/2 cup vegetable broth
• 1 cup broccoli, chopped
• 1/2 cup cottage cheese
• 1 teaspoon spicy brown mustard
• salt and pepper to taste.

Preparation

1. To prepare the dough, sift flour and salt into a medium bowl. With fork or pastry cutter, add the non-margarine butter substitute. Stir in ice water gradually just until the mixture holds together – don’t overwork the dough, you want the end result to be flaky. Cover and chill for an hour.
2. While the dough chills, prepare the filling. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and saute until fragrant, about 3 minutes. Add the mushrooms to the saute and cook until the mushrooms express their liquid.
3. Add sweet potato and combine until the potatoes are thoroughly coated, then add the broth and reduce heat to low and cover while the potatoes cook. They should be tender in about 15 minutes.
4. Add broccoli to the potatoes and cook an additional 3 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the cottage cheese and mustard. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
5. To prepare the pasties, divide the dough in half, and roll 1 half out on a floured work surface to 1/8-inch thickness. Cut out 5-inch round crusts then roll and repeat until the dough is exhausted.  Roll each dough into an oval and fill each pastry with about 1/2 a cup of dough then press down the edged with a fork. Transfer each pastry to a baking sheet.
6. When the baking sheet is full, bake at 400 degrees until golden brown, about 18- 25 minutes.

Sweet Potato and Broccoli Pasties

This attractive soup is a great way to get some more super nutritious kale into your diet.  The addition of a small amount of sugar helps tone down kale’s natural bitterness.

Pureed Kale Soup

Ingredients

• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 4 cups vegetable broth
• 2 bunches kale, chopped
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 1/2 cup cream (optional for vegan preparation)
• Ground nutmeg
• Salt to taste

Preparation

1. Saute the onion and garlic in olive oil in a large soup pot until the onion just begins to brown.
2. Add the vegetable broth and bring to a boil.
3. Add the kale and sugar, reduce heat to simmer, and cook until kale is tender, about 5 minutes.
4. Transfer the soup to a large blender, add cream, and process until smooth.
5. Return soup to pot, heat until thoroughly warmed, add a pinch or two of ground nutmeg, season to taste, and serve.

Winter Squash Cornbread

Ingredients:

• 1 cup stone-ground cornmeal
• 1 cup masa
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin (optional)
• 1 large egg (or egg substitute)
• 1/2 cup milk or unsweetened milk substitute
• 1 cup cooked mashed squash
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 chipotle pepper, diced (optional)

Preparation

1. Combine cornmeal, masa, baking soda, salt, sugar, and cumin in a large mixing bowl.
2. In medium bowl, thoroughly combine egg, milk substitute, squash, and vegetable oil.
3. Combine the wet ingredients with the dry ingredients. The batter should be thick but move easily.
4.  Liberally coat a cast iron skillet with cooking spray or butter and pour the batter in to the skillet.
5. Bake at 350 degrees until golden brown it can pass the toothpick test, about 20-30 minutes.

Chana Masala

Ingredients

• 4 medium tomatoes, chopped and divided
• 1 large yellow onion, chopped
• 2 hot chilies (or more to your preference), chopped
• 1-1/2 tablespoons fresh ginger, minced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon whole cumin
• 1 teaspoon whole coriander seeds, crushed
• 1 teaspoon fenugreek seeds
• 3 cups cooked chickpeas
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 2 teaspoons garam masala
• Juice of 2 key limes
• Salt to taste
• Fresh cilantro for garnish

Preparation

1. In a food processor or blender, process 3 of the tomatoes, onion, chilies, ginger, and garlic until smooth. Set aside.
2. Heat oil over medium-high heat, then add the cumin, coriander, and fenugreek.  Let the spices toast and flower, stirring constantly in the oil, for about 1 minute.
3. Add the processed ingredients, increase heat to high, and fry until the “fresh” onion smell subsides, about 5 minutes.
4. Add the chickpeas, remaining tomato, turmeric, and sugar. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for about 20 minutes.
5. Add the garam masala, lime juice, and season with salt to taste.
6. Serve topped with fresh chopped cilantro.

Thai Iced Tea Sherbet

Ingredients

• 4 cups whole milk
• 6 black tea bags
• 6 cardamom pods, cracked
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 1/2 cup turbinado sugar
• 1 two-inch slice of fresh lemon grass

Preparation

1. Combine ingredients in a sauce pot and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally.
2. Simmer for a couple of minutes then remove from the burner. Allow to cool while the spices and tea continues to steep.
3. Transfer to an ice cream maker and freeze according to your machine’s directions.