Serve this Barbecue Black Bean Lime Chili with a dollop of sour cream or plain yogurt, chopped green onions, and a sprinkle of paprika. You can also add crumbled tortilla chips and shredded cheese. Make sure you have a good chunk of buttered bread, too!
PLOT TWIST FARM PHOTO
In the cozy days of winter, we have plenty of time to tinker in the kitchen.
A big pot of soup or chili works best around here. We like leftovers, especially since Jason takes his lunch to work.
This is my first time sharing an original recipe here, and I actually had to root through our recycling to remember what I put in and how much. Chili’s best trait is that it’s almost impossible to mess up. As long as you have a basic guide, you’ll get a perfectly fine result. The method of making chili is almost as comforting as the chili itself.
In the summer, this will be made again, using fresh ingredients from our farm and other farms. But, for now, here’s the winter edition.
Barbecue Black Bean Lime Chili
*** This makes a large batch of chili. About 8 servings. Adjust according to how much you want to make. Remember, it’s chili, so don’t overthink ingredient quantities. Let your eyes and taste buds be your guides.
*** INGREDIENTS ***
· Black beans (Canned or dried. I used 4 cups of dried black beans. Follow dried bean instructions, if using dried.)
· Pinto beans (Canned or dried. I used 1 can. Follow dried bean instructions, if using dried.)
· Tomatoes (Fresh or canned. I used a combination: 1 can of fire-roasted tomatoes and frozen Plot Twist Farm heirloom tomatoes.)
· 2 carrots, diced
· 2 onions, diced
· 1 large sweet pepper, diced
· Garlic, minced (Add the amount that suits your tastes. We like a lot of garlic. I used 2 whole heads.)
· Cilantro, chopped
· 1 can red enchilada sauce, medium hot
· 1 can green chiles
· 1 lime
· Water
· Barbecue sauce
· Cumin
· Paprika (Smoky paprika would be excellent, but a little goes a long way.)
· Sugar
· Salt
· Pepper
· Butter or oil of your choice
· For garnish: Sour cream or plain yogurt and chopped green onions
· Fun extras: Crumbled tortilla chips and shredded cheese
*** HOW TO MAKE YOUR CHILI ***
In a large pot, heat up enough butter or oil to sauté your diced carrots, diced onions, diced pepper, and minced garlic. Cook until tender. Add tomatoes, green chiles, enchilada sauce, black beans, pinto beans, and chopped cilantro. Add water, gradually, until you’ve achieved the thickness you prefer in chili. Zest the lime, and then squeeze in the lime juice. Add to taste: cumin, paprika, salt, pepper, barbecue sauce, and sugar. If desired, add more butter or oil for flavor.
*** GARNISH ***
Drop a dollop of sour cream or plain yogurt. Top with chopped green onions, crumbled tortilla chips, and shredded cheese. If you want to give the impression that you’re a fancy person, add a dash of paprika.
May your thoughts be warm, and your belly, too.
~ Stella