I made some yummy summer chili this week! It’s kinda like regular chili, except it has summer veggies. Like summer squash, green beans, basil, and other more year rounders like carrots and onions, all from this week’s Abundant Harvest Organics box. The squash and carrots are grated, so you don’t even notice they’re in there (not that I’d mind, but it’s fun to hide veggies sometimes, just because). Was it ever goooooood!
I forgot to eat lunch before I started filming. It was just torture to be smelling that chili for an hour. After I finally finished and plated and took photos I was going to try a bite. One turned into half the bowl and most of the cornbread… it was delicious. I ate it again a few hours later as real dinner.
I served it with this cornbread. It’s my go-to recipe. It’s easy and so delicious. (It’s even good the next day.)
We had it for dinner, and we also shared some with some friends who had a baby over the weekend. Even their picky eater ate some of it. 😉
The little “song” at the end had been stuck in my head ALL day. While editing, I think I counted 5 different times that I sang parts of it. It’s in my head again today. It makes me giggle a little.
1 lg. summer squash, grated (squeeze to remove excess water if needed)
1 C green beans, diced
5 cloves garlic, diced
2 T tomato paste
3 T olive oil
2 T balsamic vinegar, divided
1 T dijon mustard
1 T honey
2 C water (or red wine, or stock, or beer)
1/2 C decaf coffee
2 t salt
1 t pepper
1/4 t allspice
pinch cayenne
1 T sweet paprika
2 T chili powder
1 T smoked paprika
1/2 t ginger
fresh basil, torn (for serving)
Instructions
Heat soup pot. Add beef and cook. Drain fat and return beef to pan. Add olive oil, veggies, and seasonings. Cook about 5-7 minutes, or until veggies are tender.
Add tomato paste, stir in, cook 1 minute. Add 1 T balsamic vinegar, stir, cook 1 min.
Add honey, dijon, water, beans, and coffee. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cook over med-low heat for about 55 minutes.
1+ cup toasted bread crumbs (I freeze the ends of the bread loaves no one seems to want to eat, and save them for crumbs)
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp (or more!) garlic chili sauce (like Sriracha)
1/2 cup vegetable oil for frying (approx 1/2 inch in your pan)
Instructions
Place the grated daikon in a colander nested in a large bowl, and sprinkle with salt to help it shed water. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Squeeze the liquid from the daikon, either by handful or all in cheesecloth. Discard the juice, and combine the grated daikon with the garlic, onion, egg, bread crumbs, pepper, paprika, and garlic chili sauce. Mix well.
Form into small round patties by squishing the mixture into balls, squeezing out any extra liquid. Gently flatten the balls to form patties (think of making hamburger patties). The patties should stick together well, and shouldn’t crumble. Add more breadcrumbs or egg if necessary to reach the proper consistency.
Heat oil in a large skillet on medium heat, until a piece of the mix dropped into the pan sizzles. Fry the patties until firm and browned, about 3 minutes per side. Drain on paper towels, and serve with sweet & sour sauce, more garlic chili sauce, soy sauce, hoisin sauce, or our favorite: non-fat Greek yogurt + soy sauce + garlic chili sauce!
Notes
Prep time of 60 minutes is really 30 min active + 30 min waiting.
