1 pound white button mushrooms, finely and evenly chopped (this will take a few minutes; I slice, cube then finely chop)
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon garlic powder
8 ounce package frozen Recipe Ready Chopped Green Peppers & Onion (or 1/2 cup sweet onion and 1/2 cup green pepper – chopped)
2 cup diced red cabbage, 1/2 inch squares (use only the tender leaves, not the thick ends)
2 cup stewed tomatoes plus liquid from can, blended in blender container till pureed and very smooth
2 extra-large sweet red roasted peppers, cut into 1/2 inch squares plus about 1/4 cup liquid from can
40 ounces can light red kidney beans plus bean liquid from can (dark red kidney beans add too much texture)
fifteen 5 ounce can pinto beans plus liquid from can
1 teaspoon additional garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon cumin powder
1 teaspoon mild curry powder
1 teaspoon Hungarian paprika (I used mild)
1/4 teaspoon red cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
2 teaspoon light brown sugar
2 teaspoon liquid smoke
2 teapoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon additional salt
freshly ground black pepper to taste
spinach tortillas, cut into 5 x 1/4 inch strips, to be used as garnish (about 5 strips per serving)
extra virgin olive oil
additional black pepper
Instructions
In soup pot, over medium heat, melt margarine with olive oil. Add finely chopped mushrooms, salt, garlic powder and frozen chopped peppers and onion (or the fresh). Stir and cook till water releases from the mushrooms.
Add red cabbage. Stir and cook till cabbage pales in color.
Add pureed stewed tomatoes, roasted peppers plus 1/4 cup liquid, kidney and pinto beans, stirring after each addition.
Add next 12 ingredients, up to and including freshly ground black pepper to taste, again stirring after each addition. Cover and cook on medium-low heat, or at a fizzle of a boil, for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Remove cover, then cook 30 minutes longer, stirring occasionally, till beans lightly thicken broth, and flavors mute and meld. Turn heat off till ready to reheat and serve.
To serve:
Reheat chili and adjust for salt. Ladle into soup bowls. Wrap spinach tortilla strips around fingers, then place decoratively on top of chili. Drizzle each serving with a little extra virgin olive oil; sprinkle with freshly ground black pepper and serve.