Pinto Bean Chili with a Secret Ingredient
Ingredients
- 2 cups pinto beans, sorted, soaked overnight, and rinsed well (red or other beans work nice as well)
- 1 bay leaf
- 3-inch strip of kombu
- 7 cloves garlic, 2 cloves crushed, 5 cloves minced
- 4 Anaheim chiles
- 4 Pasilla or New Mexico chiles
- 2 28-oz cans of fire-roasted whole tomatoes
- 1 tablespoon grapeseed oil
- 2 onions, chopped
- 3 teaspoons Mexican chili powder
- 2 teaspoons cayenne
- 1 teaspoon coriander
- 1 tablespoon toasted cumin seeds, crushed
- 2 teaspoons sea salt
- 5–6 drops Tabasco
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 2 tablespoons dried Mexican oregano
- 2 ounces bittersweet (or Mexican) chocolate (about 1/2 cup)
Instructions
In a large soup pot, place the beans, the bay leaf, the kombu, the garlic cloves, and add enough water to cover by 3 inches. Bring to a boil gently, over medium heat. By bringing to a boil gently and by continuing to cook gently, the skins of the beans stay intact and the shape of the bean is retained. The kombu will also help the beans cook faster. Skim the foam off the top once the beans approach the boiling point. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, covered, for about one hour. You can, at this point, add generous pinches of sea salt and continue cooking until the beans are tender, but still hold their shape. They will still cook during the making of the chili. Once the beans are cooked, drain, discard the kombu, the garlic, and the bay leaf, and set aside.
While the beans are cooking:
On the open flame of a gas burner, or on the grill and using tongs, char the skin of the Anaheim and Pasilla chiles. Transfer the chiles to a bowl with a plate on top, to create steam. This will loosen the skin from the chiles. Let rest 15 minutes. In a large bowl, crush the tomatoes with your hands. Transfer 2 cups of tomato purée to a blender. Peel the skins off the chiles. Remove the seeds and chop. Place in blender along with the tomatoes. Purée until smooth. Set aside.
In a large Dutch oven, heat the grapeseed oil over medium heat. Add the onion, the 5 cloves of garlic minced, coriander, chili powder, cayenne, and crushed cumin seeds. Sauté until the onion is tender and translucent, 5-6 minutes. Add the chile and tomato purée, the rest of the crushed tomatoes, salt, Tabasco, the cinnamon stick, oregano, and 2 cups of water. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and cook, covered, stirring occasionally, about 30 minutes.
Once the beans are cooked:
Stir in the cooked beans and continue cooking, covered, for another 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in the chocolate and continue cooking, uncovered this time, for an additional 30 minutes. Taste and adjust seasonings. Serve hot with some cashew sour cream, fresh cilantro, and some lime quarters.
Find it online: https://livitygardens.com/pinto-bean-chili/