Raise-the-Dead Chili, Chipotle-Honey Corn Muffins

For some reason, I've been craving a big bowl of chili even though we're on the cusp of sweltering summer heat here in Florida. When I got my last issue of Everyday magazine, I saw this hearty vegetarian chili, and was sold. Though it says it was an award winning chili, I was less than impressed. I loved the idea of black eyed peas standing in for more traditional kidney beans, but they didn't have much flavor. I also thought the photo was deceiving, the chili was much darker and beanier. I think this is why I love food blogs recipes over magazines, though many bloggers are great at sytling their food, they photograph what they eat, and don't manipulate the end result for a photo. So I made the chili closely to as written, and will link that recipe, but I also am going to list the recipe with changes I believe would make it a better chili! 

I will say the roasted poblanos did add a lot of flavor, and that is what also appealed to me. I should have left them chunkier, I pretty much minced them. Also, the method of roasting the garlic-studded tomatoes was innovative and fun.

To go along with the chili, I thought cornbread muffins would be tasty. I like to experiment with my baking, and create originals to test my skills. These muffins were very flavorful and had a tight crumb. Dipping them in chili was great, but I wouldn't eat them without a dipper as they weren't terribly moist. I attribute that to the fact that there is no oil in them, as I was shooting for a low fat/calorie muffin. I used a cute flower shaped silicon muffin/cupcake tray to get little tulip muffins, but a regular muffin tin would be just fine.   

Raise the Dead Chili by Rachael Ray (original recipe here)

adaptation recipe listed below

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Chipotle-Honey Corn Muffins

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 1/2 tablespoons ancho chili powder

Salt and pepper

10 plum tomatoes (about 2 pounds), cored and halved lengthwise

1 large onion, sliced crosswise

10 cloves garlic, halved

3 poblano chiles

2 c. vegetable stock

2 15-ounce can black-eyed peas, rinsed

2 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp. corriander

1 tsp. smoked paprika

cilantro and sour cream, for garish

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 450°. Grease a baking sheet with 2 tablespoons olive oil.

In a small bowl, combine 1tbsp. chili powder, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper.

Place the tomatoes, seed side up, and onion on the prepared baking sheet.

“Stud” each tomato with a garlic clove half.

Bake until the onions begin to brown, 25 to 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, roast the chiles directly over a stovetop gas flame, turning occasionally with tongs, until charred all over.

Transfer to a bowl, cover tightly and let cool slightly.

Peel, stem and discard all the seeds.

Chop the chiles.

In a large saucepan, combine the roasted tomatoes, 2 roasted onion slices and the roasted garlic.

Add the vegetable broth. Using an immersion blender, puree the mixture.

Chop the remaining roasted onion and add to the saucepan.

Stir in the chiles, black-eyed peas, cumin, corriander, paprika and remaining chili powder.

Bring to a boil, lower the heat and simmer until thickened, about 15 minutes.

Muffins:

1/3 c. cornmeal

2/3 c. white whole wheat flour

1/2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. baking powder

1/2 cup buttermilk

1 egg white

2 tbsp. honey

1 tsp. chopped chives

2 dried chipotles, rehydrated and minced (or 1 chipotle in adobo, minced)

In a medium mixing bowl, combine cornmeal, flour, salt and baking powder.

In a small mixing bowl, combine buttermilk, egg white, honey, chives and chipotles.

Pour wet ingredints into dry, mix until just combined.

Spoon into greased muffin cups (4 regular, 8 mini, or 6 flour shaped)

Bake for 10-16 minutes, until puffed, golden, and set.

Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes, serve.