Chunky Two-Bean Chili
Serves 4 This chili recipe is all about options. If you don’t like kidney beans, swap them out for pintos or add more black beans. The heat on this is pretty tame, so if you want more, chop up and seed a jalapeño or two and sauté with the rest of the veggies. Chili powders have varying degrees of heat, so know how hot your chili powder is and adjust the amount accordingly. Nothing’s worse than chili that’s too spicy to enjoy. I have flown in the face of bean-cooking convention here by not soaking the beans beforehand and salting them while cooking. Follow my example. Live dangerously. This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/
Ingredients
- 1 cupblack beans
- 6 cupwater
- 1 tspsea salt
- 1bay leaf
- 1 tbspolive oil
- 1 largeshallot, chopped
- 2garlic cloves, chopped
- 1red bell pepper, cored, seeded and chopped
- 4tomatillos, husked, cleaned and chopped
- 1 tspsea salt
- 0.5 tspground black pepper
- 1 tspdried oregano
- 1 tspground coriander
- 2 tspground cumin
- 2 tspchili powder (mine is a bit on the hot side)
- 1(15 oz.) can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- 1(28 oz.) can crushed tomatoes
- 0.5 cupbittersweet chocolate chips (I like Ghirardelli)
- 0Chopped fresh cilantro
- 0Sliced avocado
- 0Shredded Monterey Jack cheese
- 0Sour cream or plain yogurt
- 0Toasted corn or flour tortillas for scooping
Instructions
- 1
Rinse and drain black beans and discard any rocks or funky-looking (discolored, wrinkly) beans.
- 2
In heavy soup pot, combine black beans, 6 cups of water, salt and bay leaf.
- 3
Bring to a boil.
- 4
Reduce heat and simmer, partially covered, until beans are tender, about 1½ hours.
- 5
Keep an eye on the water, and add more if needed, 1 cup at a time. Beans should have some liquid remaining, but they should not be overly soupy.
- 6
When beans are almost done, prepare the vegetables.
- 7
In large saucepan, heat the olive oil and sauté the shallot, garlic, red pepper, and tomatillos until tender, 10-15 minutes.
- 8
When beans are completely tender, remove the bay leaf, and add the sautéed vegetables and any remaining oil, the salt, pepper, spices, kidney beans, crushed tomatoes, and chocolate chips.
- 9
Bring chili to a boil.
- 10
Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, until chili thickens and flavors meld, about 30 minutes.
- 11
Stir occasionally.
- 12
Remove pot from heat and let chili cool for about 20 minutes before pureeing two cups in blender. If you try to puree hot liquid in a blender, the people who move into your house after you will inherit the splatter, and they will curse you.
- 13
Return pureed chili to pot and mix through.
- 14
Taste, and add salt and pepper if needed.
- 15
Heat through until warm, about 5 minutes.
- 16
Ladle into bowls and heap on whichever garnishes speak to you.