Hearty Quinoa Chili

Warmth That Builds Slowly

Chili is one of those dishes that asks very little of you and gives back quietly, steadily, in the way that only slow-built warmth can. This version folds in quinoa — that tender, almost imperceptible grain — and lets it absorb everything around it, thickening the pot into something deeply satisfying. There's a richness here that sneaks up on you, a body and depth that makes you want to linger at the stove a little longer than necessary. Some meals feed hunger. This one feels like it feeds something else entirely.

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon Alessi Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1/2 medium onion, chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
• 1 teaspoon Alessi Garlic Puree
• 1 pound Italian sausage, casing removed
• Alessi Sea Salt and Ground Black Pepper, to taste
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 2 cans Alessi Crushed Tomatoes
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 1 can red kidney beans
• 1/2 cups Vigo Quinoa
• 1/2 cups heavy cream

Instructions

1. Heat oil in a heavy-bottomed pot.
2. Cook onion and pepper until soft, and then stir in garlic.
3. Brown meat in a pot with onion and pepper until cooked through.
4. Drain fat and season with salt, pepper, and oregano.
5. Add tomatoes, chicken broth and beans and bring to a boil and season with salt and pepper.
6. Add quinoa and cover.
7. Simmer for 18-20 minutes stirring occasionally.
8. Stir in heavy cream and adjust seasonings to taste.