This is a meat-free chilli/chili that will tempt carnivores, vegetarians and vegans alike. It doesn’t pack too much of a punch, making it family-friendly, but chilli/chili-fiends could add some dried chilli/hot red pepper flakes, a slick of the chilli oil, or even a scattering of some freshly chopped chilli/chile. The avocado ‘hollandaise’ lifts the whole dish to another level, so do make sure to serve the two together.
Ingredients
- 1 onion, chopped
- 3 celery stalks, chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 3 sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
- 2 carrots, diced
- 2 yellow bell peppers, deseeded and cut into strips
- 1 red bell pepper, deseeded and cut into strips
- 9 oz (250 g) chestnut mushrooms, sliced
- 1 lb (450 g) cherry tomatoes
- 4–5 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 2 tsp ground coriander
- 2 tsp chilli/chili powder
- 2 tsp caster/granulated sugar
- 2½ cups (600 ml) passata/strained tomatoes
- 2 tbsp good-quality tomato ketchup
- 14-oz (400-g) can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- 2 handfuls of fresh baby spinach leaves
- a handful of freshly chopped coriander/cilantro
- sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the Avocado Hollandaise
- 1 large, ripe avocado
- ½ lemon juice
- 3½ tbsp (50 ml) water
- 2 tbsp olive oil
How to Make It
- Preheat the oven to 180˚C (350˚F) Gas 4.
- Scatter the onion, celery and garlic into a deep sheet pan.
- Add the sweet potatoes, carrots, (bell) peppers, mushrooms and cherry tomatoes to the pan. Drizzle in the olive oil, add the spices and sugar, season with salt and freshly ground black pepper and roast for 20–35 minutes, until the vegetables have started to soften and brown. Remove from the oven and stir in the passata/strained tomotoes and ketchup. Cook for a further 30 minutes. Remove from the oven, stir in the kidney beans, spinach and half of the coriander/cilantro. Return to the oven for about 5 minutes, until the spinach is just wilted. Scatter over the remaining coriander/cilantro.
- In the meantime, make the avocado hollandaise. Peel the avocado and remove the pit. Chop the flesh and pop it into the bowl of a blender (alternatively, use a jug/pitcher and a stick blender). Add the lemon juice, water and olive oil and whiz to a smooth purée. Season to taste, transfer to a small bowl and serve alongside the vegetable and kidney bean bake.
