John's Ridiculously Tasty Chili

While I'm not usually one to toot my own horn, I have to say that I have both made and eaten a few chilies in my day, and this one is most certainly one of the very best.  It takes a bit of work, but the finished product is well worth the time.  And it makes enough to feed several people for a couple of days.  The outcome is moderately spicy, so feel free to add or subtract to taste if you prefer it hotter or milder.  Without further ado, here's what I'd take to the cookoff:

The Chili!

Ingredients:

2 C. kidney beans*
1 large bell pepper, chopped
4 large potatoes, skin on, scrubbed and cubed
1 C. corn
1 medium zucchini, sliced
1 small-medium onion, chopped
500mL crushed tomatoes
2 stalks celery, sliced
1 can of flat dark beer (leave open in the fridge overnight)
1 C. lentils
4 C. veggie stock

  - Seasonings:

1 Tbsp basil
3 dashes tobasco
1 tsp. salt
1 Tbsp chili powder
1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 dash liquid smoke
1 tsp. thyme
1/2 tsp. coriander seed
3 Tbsp olive oil

Directions

If you're preparing the beans from dry, see below.

1. In a large pot, heat the oil at medium heat, then saute the onion, celery, zucchini and pepper for 5 minutes.
2. Add the crushed tomatoes and all of the spices and seasonings.  Stir thoroughly.
3. Add the stock and beer to the pot and bring to a boil.  Add the lentils, beans, corn and potatoes, stir, and reduce heat slightly to a simmer.
3. Add all the remaining ingredients and cook uncovered, stirring occasionally, for at least 1 hour.

*It's okay to use canned beans, but it will turn out better if you cook them from dry.  One cup of dry beans makes two cups cooked.  The easiest way to do this is to soak the beans in a bowl of water overnight.  You can also do a quick soak by covering the dry beans with water and bringing them to a boil with some olive oil for 3 minutes.  Then drain, rinse with cold water, cover, bring to a boil again, then simmer for 1 hour before continuing with the recipe.

As with all soups and stews, the longer you let it sit, the better it'll turn out.  Gives all of the ingredients time to get to know each other.  I like to serve the traditional way with a green side salad, garlic toast and a nice red wine.  If you have a family chili recipe that you'd like to share, I'd love to try it.  Post it in the comments and we'll make yours!