Black Bean Chili

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Black Bean Chili

 

4 cups dried black beans

2 large red bell peppers

3 tablespoons cumin seed

2 1/2 tablespoons dried oregano (leaf, not ground)

1/2 cup olive oil

2 large onions, finely chopped

1 1/2 cups diced green bell pepper

3 tablespoons minced garlic

4 1/2 teaspoons paprika

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 tablespoon salt

5 cups crushed tomatoes

4 to 6 fresh jalapenos, seeded and deveined, finely chopped

 

Sort and rinse the beans, place them in a pot with " enough " water and soak them

overnight. Drain off water and rinse, add enough new water to cover by two

inches and bring to a boil. Simmer, covered, until beans are tender (about 1

hour), adding more water if necessary. Drain beans, saving 3 cups of the liquid.

Return beans to pot with 1 1/2 cups of the liquid.

Roast red bell peppers under the broiler until the skin is charred, then throw

it into a paper bag and close the bag. Set it aside to cool.

Heat oven to 325 degrees, put cumin seed and oregano in a small baking pan or

casserole and roast until fragrant, shaking pan occasionally (about 10 minutes).

Get the red bell pepper out of the bag, peel the skin off, remove seeds etc.

(After peeling, if any parts look like they got badly burned, cut them away.)

Chop.

Heat oil in skillet. Saute onions, green pepper and garlic for 3 minutes, then

add cumin, oregano, paprika, cayenne and salt. Cook about 10 minutes more, then

add tomatoes and jalapenos and bring to a boil for a couple of minutes. Add this

mixture to the beans. Add bell peppers to beans. Simmer everything for a while,

thinning with the rest of the saved bean liquid as desired.

Makes 12 to 15 cups.