Email to Cat      

Simple Black Bean Chili

Source of Recipe

From "Smitten Kitchen Keepers" by Deb Perelman


Recipe Introduction

"As a devoted bean eater, I have made my share of vegetarian chilis, turning out my Texan friends who balk at the beans, tomatoes, absence of dried chilis, and even beef in what I have the audacity to call chili. I'd always build it like a soup, sautéing ingredients in oil and then adding the tomatoes, beans, and spices for a long simmering time—but the day I decided to build it the way I make salsa, charring the onion, garlic, and hot peppers under the broiler and blending them as a base for the chili, changed everything. While this added more steps, it didn't add much more time—I make it most often on weeknights—and it imbues even bland canned beans with a much more layered, complex flavor than anything I've made before. By the time it is blended, you're three-quarters of the way to your chili. On the stove, it's a simple season-and-simmer operation, and takes just 15 minutes. While it simmers, I pull out whatever we've got in the fridge to turn into what we call taco fixings—quick-pickled red onion, sliced avocado, cilantro, crumbled cheese, limes, and some hot sauce for the grown-ups. Everyone heaps their bowls with whatever they like, and I am happy I've convinced everyone to eat what I want most: a bowl of beans for dinner."

List of Ingredients

â—¦ 1 medium poblano, halved, seeds removed
â—¦ 1 jalapeño or habanero chili, halved, seeds removed
â—¦ 1 medium white onion, trimmed, cut into 8 wedges
â—¦ 2 large cloves garlic, unpeeled
â—¦ 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
â—¦ 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
â—¦ 1 teaspoon chipotle chili powder, or 1 tablespoon chipotle purée from a can
â—¦ 2 teaspoons ground cumin
â—¦ 1 teaspoon dried oregano
â—¦ One 14.5-ounce can (1 ½ cups) crushed tomatoes, fire-roasted if you can find them
â—¦ Two 15.5-ounce cans (each 1 ¾ cups) black beans, drained and rinsed
â—¦ Water, if needed
â—¦ Handful of chopped fresh cilantro leaves
â—¦ Juice of ½ lime
â—¦ Sour cream, sliced scallions, avocado, pickled jalapeños, for garnishes


Recipe

Heat your broiler, if you have one, or your oven to its highest temperature. On a small foil-lined baking sheet, toss the peppers, onion, and garlic with 1 tablespoon oil, and broil or roast until the ingredients are blackened in spots, 5 to 10 minutes.

Carefully remove the garlic cloves from their skins and transfer them to a blender or food processor, along with the remaining charred ingredients. Pulse the machine until they're well chopped but not puréed.

In a large saucepan, heat the remaining tablespoon of oil over medium-high heat. Once it's hot, add the ingredients from the blender, plus salt, chipotle, cumin, and oregano, and cook for 2 minutes, stirring. Add the tomatoes, and simmer for 4 to 5 minutes. Add the black beans, and bring it back to a simmer. If the chili looks dry, add ¼ to ½ cup water to loosen it. Simmer for 5 minutes. Taste, and adjust seasonings and spices to the level you like. Off the heat, stir in cilantro and lime juice. Ladle the chili into four small or two large bowls, and garnish with your choice of toppings.

Serves 2 to 4