That is where the idea for his "three-bean, five-alarm chili" was born. The vegetarian dish was mentioned in a recent Tribune profile of Garrott and Milt McGuire asked for the recipe.

"This is a recipe that has evolved over the years, since college in California when I lived in a vegetarian cooperative house," Garrott, a University of Utah political science professor, wrote in an e-mail.

Garrott is no longer a strict vegetarian, but he still enjoys cooking meat-free dishes.

"I've found that flavor doesn't depend on animal meat or fat. Good spices and fresh vegetables more than compensate," he said.

"I am also a lover of beans, so I probably love this recipe more than anybody else," he added. "But chili on a cold day is hard for anybody to resist!"

Requests:

Jenny McCarter wants a recipe for sliced potatoes made with cheese sauce, "not mashed potatoes."

Lynae Puckett wants a recipe for sesame rolls, like ones served at Lee's Mongolian Barbecue. The Ogden restaurant does not give out recipes.

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* Send requests or responses to Cuisine Quest, c/o The Salt Lake Tribune, 90 S. 400 West, Suite 700, Salt Lake City, UT 84101, or e-mail kathys@sltrib.com.

Three-bean, five-alarm chili (vegetarian/vegan)

2 to 3 tablespoons olive oil

1 large onion, chopped small

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 large carrot (or 10 minis) chopped small

1 jalapeño, serrano or any other hot chile, finely chopped

1 large green bell pepper, chopped

1 large yellow or red bell pepper, chopped

1 (15-ounce) can pinto beans, drained (or 1/4 pound dried beans soaked and cooked)

1 (15-ounce) can kidney beans, drained (or 1/4 pound dried beans soaked and cooked)

2 (15-ounce) cans black beans drained, (or 1/2 pound dried beans soaked and cooked)

1 small (8 ounce) can corn (or 1 ear cooked and stripped)

1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes

6 cups water

1 (1.25-ounce) package taco or chili seasoning

Cilantro, chopped for garnish

Sour cream, for garnish

Cheddar cheese, grated, for garnish

Tortilla chips, for garnish

In a large sauté pan or wok, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add garlic and onion and sauté 1 minute.

Add vegetables in the following order: carrot, hot pepper and sweet peppers (yellow, red, green). Sauté 1 or 2 more minutes. Don't overcook vegetables at this point, as they will finish cooking in the soup pot. Remove from heat.

Place drained beans, corn and crushed tomatoes in a large soup pot. Add water and heat to medium-high. Add spice mix and the cooked vegetables. Simmer 30 minutes.

Ladle into bowls and garnish with cilantro, cheese, sour cream and tortilla chips.

Makes 8 servings.

Note: To add a smoky flavor to the chili, brush whole vegetables with oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place in a roasting pan or on a cookie sheet. Bake at 425 degrees for 30 minutes. When cool enough to handle, chop and add directly to pot with the beans and tomatoes.