Vegan Chili Verde with Hominy

It is chili weather, chilly + chili. The Food Network knows this and Giada di Laurentiis was also prepared with a special cooking different chilis, which all looked delicious and off the beaten path. I made the vegan chili verde which is light and quite different from meaty, heavy and beany chilis, but it does not lack the punch and stewy consistency. Tomatillos add a tart and lemony dimension and it works well with the potatoes, hominy and pureed poblanos.

Vegan Chili Verde with Hominy  (original source): (makes 4 large servings)

1 TB extra-virgin olive oil

1 chopped white onion

medium sized Yukon gold potato, peeled and cut into 1/3-inch cubes

medium sized yam (red-skinned sweet potato), peeled and cut into 1/3-inch cubes

3 large cloves garlic, flattened, peeled and microplaned

4 large tomatillos (8 to 9 ounces), husked, rinsed, cored and chopped

2 large poblano chiles (8 to 9 ounces), stemmed, seeded; 1 diced, 1 cut into 4 strips

2 tablespoons dried Mexican oregano

1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons cumin seeds

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

One 15-ounce can hominy with juices (preferably golden)

1 cup vegetable broth

One 7-ounce can diced mild green chiles

Garnishes, such as crumbled feta cheese, greek yogurt, chopped green onions, sliced avocados, lime wedges and chopped serrano chiles

Open the can of mild green chiles  and pour then in a processor. Coarsely chop the raw poblano peppers and add them to the food processor, and puree until smooth. This makes for a nice deep green color of the chili.

Heat the oil in a heavy, large pot over low to medium heat. Add the chopped onions, diced potatoes, yams, garlic, and tomatillos. Cover and sweat until the onions are tender. Mix in the oregano, flour, and cumin. Add the hominy with the juices and the broth as well as the chile sauce from the food processor. Bring the chili to a low simmer.

Cover and simmer the chili 20 minutes, but stir regularly because it tends to stick to the  pot bottom because of the tomatillos. After the first 20min, uncover and simmer until the potatoes and yams are tender and the chili is reduced to desired consistency, stirring often again, 20 to 25 minutes longer. Season with salt and pepper if desired.

Serve with your favorite toppings. I added greek yogurt and avocado slices.