Soup - White Chili

Recipe Inspiration Source:  Contentedness Cooking

This recipe is a wonderful keeper, but I'm definitely adjusting the spice level!!!

I love the green pot shown in the photo!

 ✅  First heat a bit of broth for doing this oil-free - in a soup pot. I used a large deep skillet.  If you have a Le Creuset , this would be a perfect time to whip that baby out.  Sauté the garlic and the optional onions and bell pepper for around 5 minutes.

• 2 cups vegetable broth (only use a little of this for the sautéing)
• 4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
• 1 chopped bell pepper
• ¾ cup chopped white onion

 ✅  Now add the remaining vegetable broth and vegan cream cheese. Stir until cream cheese is thoroughly incorporated.

• 2 cups vegetable broth
• 8 oz vegan cream cheese
• 🌿 Hmmm... Could I add something green to this for extra color?  Kale?  Parsley?  If I omit the jalapeños, which I definitely will, that green will be gone.

 ✅  Now for the heat...  Be careful with this!!!  The first time I made this soup, I used the full can of jalapeños and a full packet of McCormick White Chili seasoning mix.  Holy cow!!!  It was soooooooo hot that it was almost inedible.  The saddest part is we could tell, we would have loved it if the heat had been toned down.  Lesson learned!   In the future, I will add a little of the seasonings at a time and then "taste as you go"!  Eventually, I will learn just how much to add to make it just right.

• white chili seasoning packet - be careful -  Add a little and then taste!
• To make your own - 1/4 tsp ground cloves, 1 tbs chili powder, 2 Tbs Cumin, 2 tsp garlic powder and 2 tsp maple syrup)  I haven't tried this yet, but it may be the best way to go.
• 1 (7 oz) can jalapeño slices, drained Oh, hell, no!!!

 ✅  Season with salt and pepper.  Cook for around 10 minutes on medium heat. 

• salt, pepper to taste

 ✅  Add the beans and optional corn and cook for another 5 minutes.

• 2 (15 oz) white beans, drained
• 1 cup corn cooked and peeled

 ✅  When serving, it's really nice with a great bread!

☝️  How do you tone down spicy chili?

• One of the best ways to counteract this chemical compound is by adding a dairy product: whole fat milk, heavy cream, yogurt, cheese, or sour cream. I don't do dairy, so that's no help to me, but apparently rich coconut milk can do the trick. 
• Sugars help to neutralize the heat of chile peppers. So try adding a little sugar or honey to balance out too-hot flavors.
• Add more of the ingredients that are not hot thus reducing the concentration of spice. In a chili, the easiest tool for dilution is simply to add more beans but more tomato can be effective as well. 
• If the chili is only a little too hot, consider diluting it by adding more liquid. Tomato juice, water or a stock can be effective for this purpose.
• You should consider diluting your chili with a starch as another option. One traditional method of toning down spice in chili is to add a paste made with masa and water. If you do not have masa on hand, consider using pieces of potato to help absorb the spice. You can place the potato into your chili as it cooks and remove it before serving. Both masa and potato can help to thicken your chili without making a significant difference to its overall flavor profile.
• When diluting the heat in your dish remember that you will also be diluting the other flavors. Be sure to increase the cumin, garlic and other flavors in your chili to compensate for the dilution.
• Peanut butter, almond butter and tahini paste are also effective for toning down the spice in a chili. Like dairy products, nut and seed butters are able to neutralize heat without dominating the other flavors.