Peta: “As a vegetarian, I usually stir a handful of grated Cheddar cheese and a dollop of sour cream into my chilli, but the zingy corn salsa in this black bean chilli is so delicious, that it makes that unnecessary. It’s a good sign of a vegan dish when a non-vegan wouldn’t want to add anything.”

Ingredients:
(Serves 4-6)

• 1 onion
• 3 garlic cloves
• 1 to 2 green chillies
• 2 tbsp olive oil, plus 2 tsp
• 1 red pepper, chopped
• 1 carrot, peeled and diced
• 2 celery sticks, finely diced
• 1 tsp chipotle paste
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 2 tsp tomato purée
• 2 x 400g tins black beans
• 1 x 400g tin chopped tomatoes
• 500ml vegetable stock
• Salt and black pepper to season
• 100g drained tinned sweetcorn
• Juice of half a lime
• Half a red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
• A handful of coriander, chopped

Method

Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a saucepan over a medium heat, add the onion, garlic and green chillies (all finely chopped) and sauté for 3 to 4 minutes, then add the pepper, carrot and celery.

Sweat for a few minutes, then add the chipotle paste, smoked paprika, cumin and tomato purée.

Stir to coat the vegetables, then add the drained black beans, tomatoes and vegetable stock.

Season with salt and black pepper, bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Then remove from the heat and season to taste.

For the salsa, mix the sweetcorn with the lime juice, red chilli and coriander. Stir through 2 teaspoons of olive oil.

Serve the black bean chilli piping hot, with the salsa on top.

The Vegetarian Kitchen by Prue and Peta Leith is available to buy now…