Summer Vegetable Chili

Ingredients

• 3 hot sausages
• 3/4 cup plus one tablespoon olive oil
• 2 zucchini, diced
• 1 yellow squash, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 onions, diced
• 3 red bell peppers, diced
• 1 1/2 pounds tomatoes, diced
• 35 ounces canned plum tomatoes, diced, with juice
• 2 1/2 tablespoons Mexican chili powder
• 1 tablespoon cumin
• 1 tablespoon oregano
• 3 teaspoons black pepper
• 1 tablespoon dried basil
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
• 1 cup canned kidney beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 cup canned chickpeas, rinsed and drained
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1/2 cup chopped parsley
• For garnish:
• 1 cup chopped cilantro
• 2 cups shredded cheddar or monterey jack cheese
• 1 cup sour cream

Directions

1. Warm 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the sausages and cook them until they are done all the way through, then lift them out and set them aside.
2. Pour 1/2 cup olive oil into the same skillet. When it is hot, add the zucchini and squash, and cook until they soften enough to pierce with a fork, about 6 minutes. Move the zucchini and squash into a large pot or dutch oven.
3. Add 1/4 cup olive oil to the skillet. Cook the onions, garlic, and peppers until softened, about 8 minutes, then transfer them to the dutch oven.
4. Stir the fresh tomatoes, canned tomatoes, chili powder, cumin, basil, oregano, pepper, salt, and fennel seeds into the dutch oven. Set the heat to medium low and simmer for 30 minutes.
5. Add the kidney beans, chickpeas, lemon juice, and parsley to the dutch oven, and cook for 10 minutes. Cut the sausage into 1/2 inch pieces, add it to the chili, and cook for 5 minutes more.
6. Serve the chili with cilantro, cheese, and sour cream on the side.