V is always slightly miffed that I am not that in to Super Bowl as he is (other than the ads and the half time show, of course!)   So this year, I decided to show my passion by cooking up a Super Bowl, a nutrient-rich, hearty, yummy chili with seasonal root vegetables.  Perfect for a late game day lunch!

Super Bowl- A root vegetable chili

I have been eyeing the amazing variety of root vegetables available at our farmer’s market this season and have been wondering how to make use of all the goodness.

Root Vegetables at the Sunnyvale Farmer’s Market

So I filled up my basket with golden beets, regular beets, rutabaga, turnips, watermelon radishes, black spanish radishes and good old carrots.

My basket from the farmer’s market filled with beets, turnips, carrots, radishes and rutabaga

The chili seemed like a great idea, a little bit of spiciness to balance the sweetness of the roots.  I used “harissa” to add the kick to the recipe.  It adds a unique flavor to the chili.  I bought a jar at Whole Foods.  You can also buy it online.  Or better still you can make your own with this wonderful recipe from one of my favorite food blogs: Smitten Kitchen.

Root Vegetable Chili for lunch on Super Bowl day

Here’s the recipe, without further ado.

Recipe for Root Vegetable Chili
[Printable Recipe]

Ingredients:

• 1 cup dried beans, like chick peas and kidney beans
• 2 Tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 tsp fennel seeds
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 4 cloves
• 1 piece cinnamon about 1 inch long 
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 medium bell pepper, chopped
• A medley of 6 or 7 seasonal root vegetables (one each of beet, turnip, carrot, radish, rutabaga, potato, etc.), chopped in to bite-sized pieces to yield about 3 cups
• 2 Tbsp harissa or chili paste
• 2-3 sprigs of cilantro, chopped 
• 2-3 sprigs of spring onion, chopped
• Full-fat Yogurt for garnish (leave out for vegan option)

Chopped Root Vegetables

• Soak the beans for a full day.  Change the water out a couple of times if needed
• Cook the beans in a pressure cooker or simmer on the stove until the beans are soft and set aside
• Heat the oil in a pot.  When the oil is hot, add the aromatics: cumin seeds, fennel seeds, dried oregano, cloves, cinnamon stick and bay leaves
• After a couple of minutes when you can smell the spices, add the garlic, chopped onion and bell pepper and saute for 5-7 minutes
• Add the root vegetables.   Add 1/4th cup of water.  Switch to low heat, close with a lid and cook for around 15 minutes until the vegetables are cooked
• Add the cooked beans and harissa and heat through
• Garnish with chopped cilantro and spring onion
• Serve with a dollop of yogurt on top

Root Vegetable Chili

Hearty, healthy and absolutely yummy, this stew was our late lunch on Super Bowl day!  What did you have?