Vegetarian chili

Dice the onion chunky, cut the poblano into strips and small dice it, press the garlic to a paste.

Heat olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium high, add the onion and poblano.

Add a pinch of salt and saute 2 to 3 minutes until softened, translucent and starting to caramelize.

Add the minced garlic and saute about a minute until fragrant.

Add tomato paste and diced chipotle, then the chili powder, smoked paprika, cumin and cocoa.

Stir and dry toast about 30 seconds until fragrant and bloomed; do not let the spices or cocoa burn.

Deglaze with the vegetable stock, then add the diced and crushed tomatoes with their juices, scraping the bottom clean.

Stir in the red lentils, bring to a full boil, drop to medium low, cover and simmer 15 to 20 minutes until the lentils are soft and the sauce thickens.

Taste a few lentils to confirm they are cooked through and not raw.

Add the drained black beans and the kidney beans with their liquid, then the frozen corn; stir to combine.

Thin with a few splashes of stock, return to a simmer and cook with the lid cracked about 10 more minutes, 25 to 30 minutes of cook time in total.

Off the heat, season with soy sauce, brown sugar, cider vinegar, hot sauce and salt; stir and taste, adding more salt as needed.

Garnish with a dollop of sour cream, grated aged cheddar, thinly sliced scallions and oyster crackers.