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Black Bean Chili (Prodigy)

Category: Vegetarian

Author: The Savvybearcat

Date: 1/1/2007

Rating:

(3.0) by 1 users

Ingredients:

2 cup Black turtle beans
1 Bay leaf
4 tsp Cumin seeds
4 tsp Dried oregano leaves
4 tsp Paprika
1/2 tsp Cayenne pepper
1 Chile negro or ancho chile, (for chili powder), -=OR=-
2 tbsp -Chili powder, or more
3 tbsp Corn or peanut oil
3 medium Yellow onions diced into 1/4-in squares
4 Garlic cloves coarsely chopped
1/2 tsp Salt
1 1/2 lb Ripe or canned tomatoes peeled, seeded and chopped, juice reserved
1 tbsp Rice wine vinegar (or more)
4 tbsp Cilantro, chopped

MMMMMGARNISHES

Green chiles:
2 Poblano or Anaheim, roasted, peeled & diced =OR=-
2 oz -Canned green chiles, rinsed well and diced
1/2 cup Grated Muenster cheese (or more)
1/2 cup Creme fraiche or sour cream
5 Cilantro sprigs

Instructions:

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.
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. Preheat
the oven to 375F. To make the chili powder, put the dried chile in
the oven for 3-to-5 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 a spice mill. Heat the oil in
a large skillet and saute the onions over medium heat until they
soften. Add the garlic, salt and the ground herbs and chili powder
and cook another 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes and their juice. 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. When the beans are cooked, taste them
and season to taste with the vinegar, additional salt if needed, and
the chopped cilantro. Prepare the garnishes. If you are using fresh
green chiles, roast them over a flame until they are evenly charred.
Let them steam 10 minutes in a bowl covered with a dish; then scrape
off the skins, discard the seeds, and dice. 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 a sprig of fresh
cilantro. 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 thinner but still very 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.

This is one of the best-known recipes from the San Francisco
restaurant Greens.

DEBORAH MADISON - PRODIGY GUEST CHEFS COOKBOOK