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Black Bean Chili

Source of Recipe

From "The New Essentials Cookbook" by America's Test Kitchen


Recipe Introduction

"Just because your chili doesn't have meat doesn't mean it can't be satisfying. For this vegetarian chili, we used dried beans for their superior texture. However, we didn't bother soaking the beans beforehand; we liked the fact that when we used unsoaked beans, some of them burst during cooking, thickening the chili. White mushrooms, pulsed in a food processor and sautéed with onions, gave the chili meaty texture and flavor. Whole cumin seeds and minced chipotle chile added depth and smokiness, and toasted mustard seeds added complexity. Served with a spritz of lime and a sprinkle of cilantro, this rich chili is so hearty that you won't miss the meat. We prefer the texture and flavor of toasted cumin and mustard seeds here; however, you can substitute ½ teaspoon ground cumin and/or ½ teaspoon dry mustard; add with the chili powder in step 3. Serve with lime wedges, sour cream, shredded cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese, chopped tomatoes, and/or minced onion."

List of Ingredients

â—¦ 1 pound white mushrooms, trimmed and broken into rough pieces
â—¦ 1 tablespoon mustard seeds
â—¦ 2 teaspoons cumin seeds
â—¦ 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
â—¦ 1 onion, chopped fine
â—¦ 9 cloves garlic, minced
â—¦ 1 tablespoon minced canned chipotle chile in adobo sauce
â—¦ 3 tablespoons chili powder
â—¦ 2 ½ cups vegetable broth
â—¦ 2 ½ cups water, plus extra as needed
â—¦ 1 pound (2 ½ cups) dried black beans, picked over and rinsed
â—¦ 1 tablespoon packed light brown sugar
â—¦ â…› teaspoon baking soda
â—¦ 2 bay leaves
â—¦ 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
â—¦ 2 red bell peppers, stemmed, seeded, and cut into ½-inch pieces
â—¦ ½ cup minced fresh cilantro
â—¦ Salt and pepper


Recipe

Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 325° F. Pulse mushrooms in food processor until uniformly coarsely chopped, about 10 pulses.

Toast mustard seeds and cumin seeds in Dutch oven over medium heat, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in oil, onion, and processed mushrooms, cover, and cook until vegetables have released their liquid, about 5 minutes. Uncover and continue to cook until vegetables are browned, 5 to 10 minutes.

Stir in garlic and chipotle and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in chili powder and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in broth, water, beans, sugar, baking soda, and bay leaves and bring to simmer, skimming as needed. Cover, transfer to oven, and cook for 1 hour.

Stir in crushed tomatoes and bell peppers and continue to cook in oven, covered, until beans are fully tender, about 1 hour longer. (If chili begins to stick to bottom of pot or is too thick, add water as needed.)

Remove pot from oven and discard bay leaves. Stir in cilantro, season with salt and pepper to taste, and serve. (Chili can be refrigerated for up to 3 days; add water as needed when reheating to adjust consistency.)

Serves 6 to 8