Vegetarian Chipotle Three-Bean Stew

Submitted by Stacey Hutchings

Just look at all those cans that I rotate from storage! Of course, if I was really good, I'd be making this from dried beans--but I haven't mastered those. Maybe somebody who has mastered cooking dried beans could send me the recipe and I'll post it!

This makes a ton! After three adults and two kids dined on this recipe, I had three quarts left over! Cut in half, freeze some for another meal, or feed the masses!

Dave Lieberman, Young & Hungry
Makes 12-15 healthy servings
Serve with Corn Bread

¼ c extra-virgin olive oil
2 medium onions, diced
One 1 lb bag “baby-cut” carrots (I like just chopping peeled carrots into bite-size pieces)
5-6 garlic cloves, pressed (I always use the bottled minced garlic)
One 26 oz can chopped tomatoes (the kiddos don't like tomato chunks so I puree them)
Two 15 oz cans pinto beans
Two 15 oz cans red beans (I use kidney beans)
One 15 oz can pink beans (I use white beans--really, just put whatever beans you like)
Two 15 oz cans vegetable broth
One 12 oz can dark beer (I use ginger ale)
4 canned chipotle chilies packed in adobo sauce, finely chopped almost to a puree, plus 2 tablespoons of the adobo sauce (After a few tries, I decided to only use the sauce--it gives really good flavor, but makes everything not quite so hot[spicy])
1 teaspoon salt

One 11 oz can sodium-free whole kernel corn (just use regular if you've got it--that's just the professional chef trying to control how salty everything is)
1 small bunch Italian parsley, roughly chopped (I use 2 T dried parsley)

Heat the oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Stir in the onions and cook, stirring until they start to turn translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the carrots and garlic, and cook for a few minutes. Strain and rinse the beans. Add them and all the remaining ingredients except the corn and parsley. Add enough water to cover ingredients by an inch or two, about 2 cups. Bring to a boil and then adjust the heat so the liquid is simmering. Simmer for about 1 hour, until the chili has reduced and thickened and the beans are barely covered by liquid. Stir in the corn and parsley, and turn off the heat.

You can make this up to a few days in advance without adding the corn and parsley. Keep it in the fridge and the flavors will really develop, and the chili will taste even more amazing. Just remember that before you put it into the fridge for storage, it needs to come to room temperature—at least a few hours of sitting after it has finished cooking.