An Unusual Chili

I've heard about hominy but never seen it before. Yesterday, after stumbling on huge cans for $1.00, I decided to give it a try. Using the Hominy & Red Bean Chili recipe from 125 Best Vegetarian Slow Cooker Recipes by Judith Finlayson as a guide, I concocted last night's dinner.

Despite the source of the original recipe, I didn't use the slow cooker. I actually used the pressure cooker. Since I was pressed for time, I opted to use black eyed peas which take only 6-8 minutes in a pressure cooker on high. Unsoaked red beans can take up to 30 minutes to cook and I didn't have that much time to spare.

Place the following into your pressure cooker:
1 Tbs olive oil
2 large onions, chopped
6 large carrots, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced

Let these cook over med high heat, stirring constantly for about 1 minute. Add:
3 cups dried black eyed peas
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp celery seeds
1 tsp cumin
dash of allspice
1 can jalapeno wheels (optional)
6 cups water

If using a pressure cooker, lock your lid in place and bring to high pressure for 8 minutes. Let pressure release naturally. If using regular pot, cover and cook until beans are tender. Add:

1 large can hominy, rinsed and drained
1 jar of mild salsa (chopped tomatoes would work if you wanted a less spicy dish)
1 cup whole wheat couscous (The purpose of the couscous was to absorb the excess liquid in the dish. You may need to use more or less depending on how soupy you want this to be.)

Let this heat through and allow the couscous to absorb the liquid, about 2 minutes. Serve and enjoy! This was a big hit. The hominy added an unusual, chewy texture that was really appealing.