Brown Rice Chili

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp (15 mL) olive oil
• 2 onions
• chopped
• 4 stalks celery
• chopped
• 1 cup (250 mL) brown rice
• rinsed
• 4 cloves garlic
• finely chopped
• 1 tbsp (15 mL) dried oregano leaves
• 1 tsp (5 mL) ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp (2 mL) salt
• 1/2 tsp (2 mL) cracked black peppercorns
• 1 can (28 oz/796 mL) diced tomatoes
• including juice (see Notes)
• 2 cups (500 mL) cooked dried or canned red kidney beans
• drained and rinsed
• 2 cups (500 mL) lower-salt vegetable broth
• divided
• 2 dried ancho
• mild New Mexico or guajillo chile peppers
• 2 cups (500 mL) boiling water
• 1/2 cup (125 mL) chopped cilantro stems and leaves
• 2 cups (500 mL) corn kernels
• thawed if frozen
• 1 green bell pepper
• diced
• 1 jalapeno pepper
• seeded and diced
• optional

Instructions

1. Works best in a large (minimum 5 quart) slow cooker.
2. In a skillet, heat oil over medium heat for 30 seconds.
3. Add onions and celery and cook, stirring, until celery is softened, about 5 minutes.
4. Add rice, garlic, oregano, cumin, salt and peppercorns and cook, stirring, for 1 minute.
5. Add tomatoes with juice and bring to a boil.
6. Transfer to slow cooker stoneware.
7. Add beans and 1 1/2 cups (375 mL) of the broth and stir well.
8. Place two clean tea towels, each folded in half (so you will have four layers) over top of stoneware.
9. Cover and cook on Low for 8 hours or on High for 4 hours, until hot and bubbly.
10. Half an hour before recipe has finished cooking, in a heatproof bowl, soak chile peppers in boiling water for 30 minutes, weighing down with a cup to ensure they remain submerged.
11. Drain, discarding soaking water and stems, and chop coarsely.
12. Transfer to a blender.
13. Add remaining broth and cilantro.
14. Puree.
15. Add chile mixture, corn, bell pepper and jalapeno pepper, if using, to stoneware and stir well.
16. Cover and cook on High for 30 minutes, until pepper is tender and flavors meld.