Instructions: Heat the oil in a heavy soup pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring, until just about tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the carrot. red pepper. and some salt and cook, stirring for about 5 minutes. Add the chile powder and cumin and cook, until the mixture begins to stick to the pan. Add the garlic and stir together for about 30 seconds. Add the water and stir together for a minute or two, until the mixture is thick. Stir in the tomatoes, oregano, and zucchini. Add salt to taste. Bring to a simmer, reduce the heat, cover, and simmer for 45 to 60 minutes. Stir often, since the chili tends to stick. Stir in the beans, taste, and adjust seasonings. Set aside until ready to serve.

Just before serving, bring back to a simmer and stir in the cilantro. Serve with corn bread or corn tortillas This recipe yields 4 servings.

Advance preparation: The chili will keep for 3 days in the refrigerator and can be frozen. Make it a day ahead for the best flavor.

Chili Con Carne
To the above recipe, add 1/2 to 1 pound southwestern spiced turkey or turkey and chicken sausage (1/2 pound if youre dividing the chili into 2 portions, one for meat eaters and one for vegetarians). Place the sausage in a large heavy saucepan and add water to cover the sausages by about 1/2 inch. Bring to a simmer, reduce the heat, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes, turning the sausage from time to time. Cut the sausages in half and continue to simmer for 5 minutes. Pour off the cooking liquid, transfer the sausages to a cutting board, and cut into 1/4-inch slices. Stir into the chili (or divide the chili in half and stir into the meat eaters half) and serve.

Comments: This is a rich-tasting, spicy, but simple vegetarian chili. Following the recipe is a version with turkey sausage added. Since the sausage is spicy already, it can be added to the chili at the end. That way you can make a large batch and add the turkey to it for the insistent meat eaters at the table. As for the chile powder, dont use the commercial product that has salt and other ingredients added; use pure powdered (ground) red chiles, which can be found in some Mexican and southwestern markets. The chili benefits from sitting overnight in the refrigerator, so make ahead, if possible.

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