This is one of my favorite wintertime recipes. It's in both books.
Smoky Black Bean Chili with Roasted Butternut
Yields 4 servings
This hearty chili is very fast and easy, and you could substitute canned beans and tomatoes to make it even quicker. Make a batch of Cornbread (in the Grains chapter) to serve alongside.
Prepare Home-Cooked Black Beans (or any combination of kidney, pinto, and black). Save some of the cooking water to moisten the chili as needed (or use canned).
Preheat oven to 425˚. Combine in an oven-safe dish or pan:
1 small butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1”chunks
2 lbs roma tomatoes, cut into eighths
2-3 Tbl olive oil
¾ tsp salt
½ tsp cumin
Roast for 45 minutes until soft, stirring once or twice. Set aside.
Combine in a large pot:
1 Tbl olive oil
1 yellow onion, diced
1-3 jalapenos, seeded & diced
¼ tsp salt
Cook over medium-low heat about 10 minutes, until onions begin to color.
Add 1 clove garlic, pressed or minced.
Cook for about 3 more minutes, until garlic is fragrant.
Add the roasted squash and tomatoes and:
2-4 chipotle peppers, seeds removed and diced
1 Tbl chili powder
½ tsp cumin
½ tsp dry oregano, rubbed between palms
½ tsp salt
Simmer for 10 minutes, then add:
Cooked black beans
Juice of 1 lime
Cooking water from beans, as needed; or broth, or water
Adjust salt, lime, and chilis to taste. Garnish with: Cilantro, Cashew Cream (Nuts and Seeds), or Queso Fresca variation, Avocado chunks, chopped onion and fresh chili, etc.
Make This Chili Into Two Different Soups:
•••
Smoky Butternut Squash Soup
Prepare the chili recipe, omitting beans and using a larger squash. Then, purée everything in batches with 4-5 cups vegetable broth (or water) in a blender and adjust seasonings to taste.
•••
Smoky Black Bean Soup
Prepare the chili recipe, omitting the squash, doubling the beans, and adding 1 diced celery rib and 1 sliced carrot with the garlic and jalapenos. Then, add 4-5 cups vegetable broth or water and the zest and juice of an orange. Purée half the soup in a blender, return to pot, and adjust seasonings to taste.
This hearty chili is very fast and easy, and you could substitute canned beans and tomatoes to make it even quicker. Make a batch of Cornbread (in the Grains chapter) to serve alongside.
Prepare Home-Cooked Black Beans (or any combination of kidney, pinto, and black). Save some of the cooking water to moisten the chili as needed (or use canned).
Preheat oven to 425˚. Combine in an oven-safe dish or pan:
1 small butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1”chunks
2 lbs roma tomatoes, cut into eighths
2-3 Tbl olive oil
¾ tsp salt
½ tsp cumin
Roast for 45 minutes until soft, stirring once or twice. Set aside.
Combine in a large pot:
1 Tbl olive oil
1 yellow onion, diced
1-3 jalapenos, seeded & diced
¼ tsp salt
Cook over medium-low heat about 10 minutes, until onions begin to color.
Add 1 clove garlic, pressed or minced.
Cook for about 3 more minutes, until garlic is fragrant.
Add the roasted squash and tomatoes and:
2-4 chipotle peppers, seeds removed and diced
1 Tbl chili powder
½ tsp cumin
½ tsp dry oregano, rubbed between palms
½ tsp salt
Simmer for 10 minutes, then add:
Cooked black beans
Juice of 1 lime
Cooking water from beans, as needed; or broth, or water
Adjust salt, lime, and chilis to taste. Garnish with: Cilantro, Cashew Cream (Nuts and Seeds), or Queso Fresca variation, Avocado chunks, chopped onion and fresh chili, etc.
Make This Chili Into Two Different Soups:
•••
Smoky Butternut Squash Soup
Prepare the chili recipe, omitting beans and using a larger squash. Then, purée everything in batches with 4-5 cups vegetable broth (or water) in a blender and adjust seasonings to taste.
•••
Smoky Black Bean Soup
Prepare the chili recipe, omitting the squash, doubling the beans, and adding 1 diced celery rib and 1 sliced carrot with the garlic and jalapenos. Then, add 4-5 cups vegetable broth or water and the zest and juice of an orange. Purée half the soup in a blender, return to pot, and adjust seasonings to taste.
