Simple Measure

It felt like spring today. It really, really did. Snow melted, and you could smell the earth again. After the last few weeks of unyielding cold it was a dream.

Something about that last cold snap upset the internal clocks of every downtown-bound Chicagoan — and they’re delicately wound as it is. Every morning for a solid week it seemed like the entire city was trying to take the exact same train into the Loop.

I’m one of the lucky ones who almost always found a space on the car — it’s a science, really — but all available room filled up fast after me.

And those stuck waiting on the elevated platforms got it worst of all. As we rolled into yet another packed outdoor station, I’d find myself eye-to-eye with wind-battered, frozen commuters staring numbly in disbelief as another train moved on without them.

From the safety of the train car I thought: Man, these people deserve some warming up.

Cooking up a hot bowl of something for all the city’s commuters would be a bit of a stretch, but this weekend Meg and I figured we could warm up at least five or so.

Sunday was the perfect day to try out a new spin on my fiery chili. This seitan version was inspired by a meal I recently had at the Chicago Diner (a must-visit, veggie oasis in a city infatuated with hot dogs, polish sausages and “red hots”).

Chili can be cooked one of two ways, with almost equally satisfying results. One is fast and suited for a mid-week meal. The other is just as easy; it just asks a little more of your time.

But if you’ve got a relaxing Sunday to kill and a few beers in the fridge, it’s well worth the wait.

Seitan adds a “meaty” dimension to this vegan dish, while the sweetness of the roasted corn and Vermont maple syrup makes each spoonful go down real smooth. But the ingredient that adds true soul — and it’s even worth an extra trip to the store to pick up — is a generous amount of good, dark beer. The chewier the beer, the better.

Paired with Meg’s delicious corn muffins, this made a satisfying late dinner for a good group of friends. Bowls were scraped, contented sighs were let out — and after an enjoyable afternoon in the kitchen, mine was probably the loudest.

Fiery Chicago Chili
Serves 8

My favorite part of cooking up a big ol’ batch of chili is how surprisingly casual it is. No fussy measurements, or carefully timed additions. You need the key ingredients on hand, but how much you put in and when is really up to your taste.

Below are my approximations of what went into the pot last Sunday — but just between you and me, I was having too much fun hanging out to keep the closest eye on the details.

2 cups dry black beans, pre-soaked and fully cooked

2 15oz cans of Muir Glen Fire Roasted Tomatoes

6oz corn, fresh or frozen and thawed

2 poblano peppers, halved

1 jalepeno, diced

5 cloves garlic, crushed

2 medium yellow onion, chopped (reserve 1/2 one onion for garnish)

16 oz seitan

1 bay leaf

12 oz dark beer (we used Anchor’s Bock beer)

1 Tbs good maple syrup (no imitation syrups; the Vermont Grade B syrup I had in the fridge worked like a charm.

Olive oil for roasting

several generous dashes each of:

cumin

oregano

coriander

chipolte powder

Cholua hot sauce

salt, pepper

Preheat your oven to 350F.

I chose to give my seitan a quick soak in a marinade that consisted of 6 oz of Anchor Bock beer, two crushed garlic cloves, fresh ground pepper, a splash of Vermont maple syrup, oregano, and Cholua hot sauce. Do it first thing and you can let it mingle for a few hours before you’re ready to cook the seitan.

Spread out your corn in one layer on a baking sheet. Lightly but evenly coat with olive oil. Do the same for the poblanos on a separate pan. Pop them in when your oven is good and hot. Cook until you can smell the corn, maybe 20 - 30 minutes, then check the oven frequently. You want your poblanos slightly blackened but the corn should be just a light caramel-y color.

Remove from the oven and let cool.

While the veggies are roasting, combine the cooked beans and bay leaf with the tomatoes in a large stock pot with a heavy bottom. Put on medium heat.

Heat up 1 Tbs olive oil in a frying pan. Gently saute the garlic, jalepeno and onions (reserving 1/2 one onion for the garnish) for 3 minutes until soft. Get the seitan out of the fridge and add it to the onion mix, reserving the marinade. Add dashes of cumin and oregano to the pan and give it all a good stir. Cook until the seitan begins to brown, then add all the reserved marinade and allow it to cook off for a few minutes.

While your seitan is simmering your poblanos will have cooled enough for you to gently peel off the blackened skins. Chop the peeled peppers and add them to the stockpot. Follow that directly with the roasted corn and the seitan onion mix. Bring to a light boil and then reduce heat until gently simmering.

Walk away from the chili for about a half an hour. Go ahead, treat yourself to a beer. But don’t forget to come back and add a cold one to the pot, too. Along with the beer, stir in the maple syrup, and generous dashes of cumin, coriander, oregano and chipolte powder. Add salt, pepper and a few hearty shakes of the hot sauce.

Let it simmer for another good 30 minutes or so. At this stage you can leave it on low heat for awhile, which is nice when you’re hanging out with friends and in no rush to put dinner on the table.

When you’re ready to eat, adjust the seasonings to your taste. Remove the bay leaf and turn off the heat. Let it cool for a few moments, then spoon it out and enjoy.