The fiber rich black bean is a great alternative to the red kidney bean when it comes to making chili. The black bean is packed with several vitamins that benefit the body, plus, it has a mild flavor that doesn’t overwhelm other ingredients in the dish.
Black beans are a staple of Mexican and Southwestern style cooking. The following recipes all feature this bean in a savory mixture of spices, vegetables and meat.
=> Traditional Black Bean Chili
This is a meatless chili, but it does contain chicken broth.
In a food processor, add 3 cups of beans and the chicken broth and blend until smooth. Set aside.
4 (15 oz.) cans of black beans, rinsed and drained, 1 (14 1/2 oz.) can of chicken broth, 1/2 cup onion, chopped, 1/2 cup of celery, thinly sliced, 1/3 cup of green pepper, chopped, 2 cloves of garlic, minced, 2 teaspoons of olive oil, 1 (14 1/2oz.) can of whole tomatoes, undrained, chopped, 2 teaspoons chili powder, 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin, 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano leaves, 1/4 teaspoon salt.
In a 3 quart saucepan, combine the onion, celery, pepper, garlic and oil. Cook all over medium heat for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the vegetables are nice and tender. Stir often.
Add in the processed beans, the remaining beans, the tomatoes, chili powder, cumin, oregano and the salt. Mix together well. Bring to a boil over high heat and stir occasionally.
Reduce heat to low and cook for 10 to 15 minutes or until the flavors are blended well. Stir occasionally.
=> Beef and Black Bean Chili
This recipe features boneless chuck roast and black beans in a spicy chili sauce.
3/4 cup of dried black beans or 1 (15 oz.) can of black beans, rinsed and drained, 3 tablespoons of olive oil, 2 large green bell peppers, chopped, 1 large onion, chopped, 2 to 4 jalapeno peppers, seeded and finely chopped, 3 cloves of garlic, minced, 2 pounds of boneless beef chuck roast, trimmed of fat, cut into 1/2 inch cubes, 1/4 cup of chili powder, 1 tablespoon cumin, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, 1 (28 oz.) can of crushed tomatoes in puree.
Optional: 1 (4 oz.) can of sharp cheddar cheese, shredded, 3/4 cup of sour cream, sourdough bread.
Place the dried beans in a large pot or bowl and cover completely with cold water. Soak for 12 hours or overnight. Drain and rinse the beans. In a large saucepan, combine the beans and 1 quart of water. Heat until boiling. Reduce the heat to simmer. Cover and cook for 1 to 1 1/4 hours or until the beans are tender.
In a Dutch oven, heat the oil over medium heat until hot. Add in the bell pepper, onion, jalapeno peppers and the garlic. Cook for 10 minutes or until tender; stirring frequently.
Increase the heat to high. Add in the beef and cook, stirring often, for 6 minutes or until meat is no longer pink. Reduce the heat to low. Stir in the chili powder, cumin, salt and pepper.
Cook and stir for 1 minute. Stir in the tomatoes. Cover and simmer for 1 hour and 20 minutes. Drain the beans. Add beans to the chili mixture and simmer for 10 minutes.
Serve chili with cheese, sour cream and sourdough bread.
=> Black Bean Chili Salad
This makes a delicious chili served with lettuce and tortilla chips.
1 (12 oz.) package of black beans, 2 cups of chopped onion, divided, 12 cloves of chopped garlic, divided, 2 (20 oz.) cans of whole tomatoes, undrained and chopped, 1 pound of ground beef, 1 green pepper, chopped, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon pepper, 2 tablespoons chili powder, 1 1/2 tablespoon ground cumin, 1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper, Tortilla chips, 1 cup of grated cheddar cheese, 1 cup of thinly sliced lettuce, 1 mashed avocado, 1/2 cup sour cream.
In a large cast iron pot, add in the package of beans and cover completely with water. Bring to a boil. Turn off the heat and let the beans soak for 4 hours.
Turn the heat back on and add in 1 1/2 cups of onion, 8 cloves of garlic; simmer until the beans are nice and tender. Drain the liquid from the beans.
Add the tomatoes to the beans and cook over low heat.
Meanwhile, cook the ground beef in a skillet with onion, green pepper, 4 cloves of garlic, salt, pepper, chili powder, cumin and red pepper, until beef is browned.
Drain off the fat and add the meat mixture to the beans and tomatoes. Heat thoroughly. Serve with lettuce, tortilla chips, avocado and sour cream.
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