black bean chili

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* Exported from MasterCook *

 

Black Bean Chili

 

Recipe By :Deborah Madison and Edward Espe Brown

Serving Size : 8 Preparation Time :0:00

Categories : Chili {Posted}

 

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method

-------- ------------ --------------------------------

2 cups black turtle beans -- soaked overnight

1 bay leaf

4 teaspoons ground cumin seeds

4 teaspoons dried oregano leaves

4 teaspoons paprika

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 chili negro or ancho chili -- ground for powder

- or 2 to 3 tablespoons chili powder

3 tablespoons corn or peanut oil

3 medium yellow onions -- diced into 1/4 inch squares

4 cloves garlic -- coarsely chopped

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 pounds ripe peeled seeded tomatoes -- chopped, juice reserved

-either canned or fresh

1 teaspoon chopped chilpotle chile -- (1 to 2)

1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar -- more or less

4 tablespoons cilantro -- chopped

GARNISHES:

1/2 cup muenster cheese -- grated (1/2 to 3/4)

1/2 cup creme fraiche or sour cream

6 sprigs cilantro

2 Green chilies (poblano or anaheim) -- roasted, peeled,

diced

-or 2 ounces canned green chilies -- rinsed well and

diced

 

1. Sort through the beans and remove any small stones. Rinse them well, cover

them generously with water, and let them soak overnight. Next day, drain the

beans, cover them with fresh water by a couple of inches, and bring them to a

boil with the bay leaf. Lower the heat and let the beans simmer while you

prepare the rest of the ingredients.

 

2. Heat a small heavy skillet over medium heat. Add the cumin seeds, and when

they begin to color, add the oregano leaves, shaking the pan frequently so the

herbs don't scorch. As soon as the fragrance is strong and robust, remove the

pan from the heat and add the paprika and the cayenne. Give everything a quick

stir; then remove from the pan -- the paprika and the cayenne only need a few

seconds to toast. Grind in a mortar or a spice mill to make a coarse powder.

 

3. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. To make the chili powder, put the dried

chili in the oven for three to five minutes to dry it out. Cool it briefly; then

remove the stem, seeds, and veins. Tear the pod into small pieces and grind it

into a powder in a blender or spice mill.

 

4. Heat the oil in a large skillet, and saute the onion over medium heat until

they soften. Add the garlic, salt, and the ground herbs and chili powder, and

cook another five minutes. Add the tomatoes, their juice, and about one teaspoon

of the chilpotle chili. Simmer everything together for 15 minutes; then add this

mixture to the beans, and, if necessary, enough water so the beans are covered

by at least 1 inch. Continue cooking the beans slowly until they are soft, an

hour or longer, or pressure cook them for 30 minutes at 15 pounds' pressure.

Keep an eye on the water level and add more, if needed, to keep the beans amply

covered.

 

5. When the beans are cooked, taste them and add more chilpotle chili if

desired. Season to taste with vinegar, additional salt if needed, and the

chopped cilantro.

 

6. Prepare the garnishes. If you are using fresh green chilies, roast them over

a flame until they are evenly charred. Let them steam ten minutes in a bowl

covered with a dish; then scrape off the skins, discard the seeds, and dice.

 

7. Serve the chili ladled over a large spoonful of grated cheese, and garnish it

with the creme fraiche or sour cream, the green chilies, and sprig of fresh

cilantro.

 

8. Though served in a bowl and eaten with a spoon, this chili is a great deal

thicker than most soups -- thick enough in fact to be served on a plate right

alongside fritters or cornbread. It also, however, can be thinned considerably

with stock, water, or tomato juice, to make a much thinner but still flavorful

black bean soup. When thinned to make a soup, it can be served as part of a meal

rather than a meal in itself. Yield may vary.

 

Source:

" The Greens Cookbook 1987 "

Yield:

" 12 cups "

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

 

Serving Ideas : 1 1/2 CUPS (326 Calories; 12g Fat (31.3% calories from fat); 43g

Carbohydrate; 10g Dietary Fiber)

 

NOTES : Black Bean Chili has been served every day since Greens opened in 1979.

It has a woodsy campfire quality and a complexity of tastes from the various

smoked and roasted chilies.

 

Nutr. Assoc. : 156 0 3013 0 0 0 0 0 425 0 0 0 1514 0 2625 0 0 0 0 1394 0 2049 0