Black Bean and Beef Chili

By Beth Jones

Recipe can easily be doubled and freezes well for up to 2 months! Photo from Cooking Light Magazine.

Ingredients

For the Beans

2 Tablespoons sunflower oil
2 medium onions, large dice
2 large cloves garlic, minced
2 Tablespoons chili powder
1 Tablespoon freshly toasted, ground cumin
1 Tablespoon freshly toasted, ground coriander
2 teaspoons salt
½ pound dried black beans, washed and checked for rocks or other debris, soaked overnight if possible

For the Chili

1 Tablespoon sunflower oil
1 pound ground beef, pork, or turkey
1 Tablespoon toasted, freshly ground cumin
1 Tablespoon toasted, freshly ground coriander seed
2-3 Tablespoons chili powder
1-3 hot fresh chilis, chopped–depending on how spicy you like it!
3 large cloves garlic
1 large red pepper, large dice
1 large green or poblano pepper, large dice
1 small can tomato paste
2 24-oz cans diced tomatoes, or 8 cups diced fresh tomatoes
1 large delicata squash, seeded, medium dice (no need to peel)
2-4 cups black bean cooking water
2-4 teaspoons Tabasco or other hot sauce
Salt and pepper to taste
Optional toppings: sour cream, shredded cheddar cheese, chopped green onions and cilantro

Instructions

In a large Dutch oven, heat the oil over medium high heat. Sauté the onion until browned, and add the garlic, spices, and salt. Sauté for 1 minute, or until the spices are fragrant.

Add the beans, stirring to coat with the onions and spices. Add enough water to cover the beans by 2-3 inches. Cover the pot, raise the heat to high, and bring to a boil. Once the beans are boiling, uncover the pot and reduce the heat to medium. Simmer the beans until just tender, but not mushy. This may take anywhere from 20-60 minutes, depending on the age of the beans, and whether or not they were soaked overnight.

When the beans are done cooking, drain them over another large pot to collect the cooking water. This will be used as the broth for the chili.

Heat the sunflower oil in a large Dutch oven over medium high heat. Add the meat, cumin, coriander, chili powder and hot chilis, and brown thoroughly. Add the garlic, and red and green peppers and cook 3 minutes more. Add the tomato paste and stir until well incorporated. Add the tomatoes, squash, black beans and enough of the black bean water to just cover the ingredients. Stir and simmer 15-20 minutes, or until the squash is tender. Season to taste with salt, pepper and hot sauce. Serve with your favorite chili toppings.