Beans ...

Photo: Oana Silaghi-Bedikyan

Ingredients

Well, here I am. I can't believe it. About to type words that I never imagined would even enter my strea

So, first things first. The beans. I, have a Chili recipe. For very special nigh

Time to dish.

Early summer night's Chili

Here is what you need:

2 tablespoons of Olive Oil

3 Farmers onions- medium, diced

3 cloves Garlic-- finely minced

3 stalks Celery-- sliced into 1/4 thick pieces

3 Carrots- yep, you guessed it,- sliced like the celery

Mushrooms, lots, thickly sliced

1 tablespoon Cumin, Fennel and Coriander seeds- each

1 Dried whole Ancho Negro chili-

1 Dried whole Chipotle Grande chili-

1 tablespoon Sugar-

1 tablespoon Ginger powder-

3 tablespoons Important: Smoked Paprika- Pimenton de la Vera" LA DALIA" (trust me)- oh and

Cider Vinegar- a glug

Soy sauce- a glug

1 can Canned tomatoes- 1 whole plum, can pureed

Black, baby white and red beans, lots (canned or dried- if dried, you know what

Garnish:

Fresh Coriander, lots

Cheddar, lots

Butter, enough

Tortilla Chips, warmed through

Here is what to do:

5 In a big beautiful pot, your favorite, sautee your onions and garlic until fragr

Once all the flavors and aromas have blended, add your beans and cook through for another twenty minutes

2 To serve: Well, I had versions. One for me which was garnished with coriander, chedd

A peek...

While I work through the pig roast shots for tomorrows post, here is a peek ...

A peek ...

Preparation

Well, here I am. I can't believe it. About to type words that I never imagined would even enter my stream of consciousness, as I would (and vehemently do) curse anyone wishing upon us anything other than balmy beauty (see rant on inhumane cold here). I, dear readers, have been eagerly waiting for this day to come. This cold day. Sweater on, drinking pu'erh ginger tea, slightly uncomfortable but must be outside nails slightly blue kind of cold day. I swear. Can you believe it? I thought for sure I would "have to" wait to share this experience with you. Well, either that or bear the ridicule that surely follows an attempt to post about a Pig roast and a hot steamy Chili in 40 degree weather. Well, it was cold and rainy on Pig day (see below for a peek of tomorrow's Swine ... post) and cold and really rainy on Chili day. And, as the God's have it, cold (though not rainy) today for my post! Ha! Happy day.

So, first things first. The beans. I, have a Chili recipe. For very special nights. You know the ones. The early, just beginning, summer nights, when it's cool outside and you are curled up with windows open, listening to the heavy rain outside, feeling the breeze caress your skin, breathing in the earth that rides its current.

Time to dish.

Early summer night's Chili

Here is what you need:

tbs of Olive Oil

Farmers onions - 3 medium, diced

Garlic - 3cloves - finely minced

Celery - 3stalks - sliced into 1/4 thick pieces

Carrots - yep, you guessed it, 3 - sliced like the celery

Mushrooms, lots, thickly sliced

Cumin, Fennel and Coriander seeds - 1 tbs each

Dried whole Ancho Negro chili -1

Dried whole Chipotle Grande chili - 1

Sugar - 1 tbs

Ginger powder - 1tbs

Important: Smoked Paprika - Pimenton de la Vera "LA DALIA" (trust me) - oh and 3 tablespoons

Cider Vinegar - a glug

Soy sauce - a glug

Canned tomatoes - 1 can whole plum, 1 can pureed

Black, baby white and red beans, lots (canned or dried - if dried, you know what to do)

Garnish:

Fresh Coriander, lots

Cheddar, lots

Butter, enough

Tortilla Chips, warmed through

Here is what to do:

In a big beautiful pot, your favorite, sautee your onions and garlic until fragrant. Then add the carrots and celery and let them get to know the onions and garlic, you know, for about 5 minutes. Then add your tomatoes, dried spices, chilies, seeds, vinegar, soy, sugar, smoked paprika and ginger powder...phfew...what a mouthful. At this point let everybody simmer (on low heat) together for about an hour until they are all happy and blended. Stir occasionally.

Once all the flavors and aromas have blended, add your beans and cook through for another twenty minutes.

To serve: Well, I had two versions. One for me which was garnished with coriander, cheddar cheese and a squeeze of lime. One for husband. In his I added a few knobs of butter and folded them in at the very end, placed the chili bowl under the broiler for a few minutes so the cheddar can get all bubbly. I also heated the tortilla chips. It was awesome.

A peek...

While I work through the pig roast shots for tomorrows post, here is a peek ...

A peek ...