Evolution of a Chili

I learn how to do things from books. I'm old-fashioned that way. I'll turn to the world wide webiverse if I'm desperate, but it's really not my preferred medium to learn the basics of any skill. I hate wading through blurry photos and chatty videos.

I learned how to cook from books. There's one book I think of in particular, a vegetarian cookbook I had in college, that was my gateway to quiches and Vichyssoise. But I have a special place in my heart for the chili recipe. It was made with pantry ingredients - cans of tomatoes and beans and lots of spices (sorry, Texans - this chili most definitely has beans). It fed us all in college time and again. And it's still feeding us now.

But oh, how it's changed. Gone are the store-bought cans, replaced by dried heirloom beans and home-canned tomatoes. Now I head out to the porch to pick some hot peppers and dig into the freezer to raid my stash of bell peppers from the summer. Somewhere along the way I began adding a dash of cinnamon. When I started eating meat again, that creeped its way in too. The spice variety slowly grew in number and maybe a little bit fancier.

In a way, this dish is a reflection of how my cooking philosophy has changed - as I evolved as a cook, so did this chili. (The evolutionary biologist in me is screaming that populations evolve, not individuals, but you'll forgive me for the colloquial usage.) It's gone from grocery store ingredients to farmer's market finds, from opening cans to culling from my own garden, and from simple to more complex, with a focus on finding the best ingredients for each component. Each time I make this dish, it's a culinary trip down memory lane.

In its current incarnation, this quintessentially winter dish manages to capture the flavors of summer - San Marzano tomatoes and flowery bell peppers. I like to throw in the biggest heirloom bean I can find - this last batch used Ayocote Morados from Rancho Gordo - you can't go wrong with any of their beans. The multitude of spices gives this chili deep, complex flavors. I think it's worth hunting down each one, and enjoy the orchestration of pulling out all the required spices and adding them by eye and taste, but of course feel free to simplify, as befits your own tastes and spice cabinet. Add to this all the fun toppings that often accompany chili (I love any dish that has lots of potential garnishes!), and you've got a chili bar - just in time for the Superbowl.

Chili

Serves 6

5-6 cups of cooked or mostly cooked black beans, Pinto beans, Heirloom beans or a mix, cooking liquid

reserved (¾ - 1 pound of dried beans, or 3-4 14-oz cans of cooked beans)

1 pound of ground beef or turkey (optional)

2 cups chopped onions (about 1 large onion)

1 ½ tablespoons minced garlic (about 5-6 medium cloves)
1-2 hot peppers, diced, such as Jalapeños or Serranos

4 cups chopped bell peppers (green is fine, but a mix of green, red, and yellow is better)

1 quart or 1 28-oz can of whole or diced tomatoes

1 tablespoon tomato paste (optional)

¼ cup chili powder (I recommend you use some actual ground chilis, not just the chili powder mix)

1 teaspoon paprika

1 teaspoon smoked paprika (best quality you can find)

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon ground garlic

1 ½ teaspoons salt

⅛ teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 tablespoon red pepper flakes, or to taste

Suggested garnishes and sides:

Chopped cilantro

Sliced green onion

Shredded Cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese

Sour cream or yogurt

Sliced avocado

Corn bread

Tortilla chips

Spaghetti

·         Mix the spices together in a small bowl and set aside.

·         Brown ground beef or turkey in a large pot, if using. Drain fat and set aside.

·         Reheat the same pot, then add a tablespoon of oil. Add onions and sauté until translucent, about 2 minutes. Add garlic and hot peppers and continue cooking, 1 minute more. Add bell peppers and cook, stirring, 2 minutes more.

·         Add spice mixture and cook, stirring, about 1 minute.  Add tomatoes, beans and their liquid, and ground meat. Taste and make any initial seasoning adjustments. Add up to 1 cup of water if mixture is too thick, or up to 1 tablespoon of the tomato paste if mixture is too thin.

·         Let the mixture cook down until it thickens to desired consistency, at least 30 minutes to 1 hour. Taste again and adjust seasonings.

·         Serve with garnishes. This chili keeps well, and is even better the next day. It also freezes well.

*I've tried to give you lots of options here, so you can modify this recipe to your preference. In general, I like lots of ingredients, which when properly balanced can lend a nice complexity to any dish. This chili is very bean-heavy, and I recommend using the full one pound of dried beans if you're making this vegetarian.