Doug's More Than Usually Stange Chili
I suppose this isn't really chili, but has more in common with a lot of Spanish bean soups. So it probably a bit misleading to call it "chili", but it is my recipe, so who cares? This recipe can be either vegetarian or non-vegetarian. This is a list of ingredients. You will need to vary the amount, depending on how many people you want to feed. Small amounts for a few people, large amounts for lots of people.
Stuff That Goes in It:
The Beans: Basically, whatever you have...one, two, or all. Dried beans.
- Pinto beans
- Anasazi beans
- Black beans
- Cranberry beans
- Yellow eye beans
- Kidney beans
- Navy beans
- Red beans
- Jacob's Cattle Beans
- Garbonza beans
- Lentils
- Pigeon Peas
- Black Eyed Peas
- Field Peas
- Butter beans
- Rattlesnake beans
- NO LIMA BEANS...EVER...
The Other Stuff:
- 1 medium onion: diced
- 2-3 garlic cloves: diced
- 2-3 bay leaves
- 8-10 juniper berries: smashed
- 2-3 T. of vegetable oil or bacon and bacon grease
- salt: to taste
- black pepper: to taste
- 2 T. cumin
- 1 t. coriander
- chili powder (real chili powder, not the mixed stuff)
- or some diced chilies: to taste
- either water or stock (beef or chicken): to cover
If you are not going to make this veggie, bake some chicken thighs in a 375 degree oven until done...about 45 minutes to an hour, depending on size. Allow to cool and remove the meat. You can also add sliced kielbosa, chrizo, whatever.
What to do:
- soak all the beans - except lentils - overnight in salted water.
- dice onions, garlic, smashed berries, bay leaves.
- saute in vegetable oil or in bacon with bacon grease, until lightly browned.
- add cumin, coriander, salt and pepper, chili powder and cook a moment or two
- add beans and liquid and cook until tender.
- about 30 minutes prior to beans being ready, add lentils and chicken and or sausage. Of you would like, stir in some fresh spinach leaves just as you put it in the bowls.
Garnish with: chopped red onions, taco cheeses, a bit of butter, chopped chilies, chopped parsley, scrambled eggs cooked thinly like a crepe and then sliced into ribbons, or chopped, hard-cooked eggs. Basically, use your imagination.
Serve with good bread (or cornbread, or tortillas), sliced tomatoes, cucumbers, avocados, and scallions...or whatever you want.
Last updated: The Ides of March, 2001