it's been a wonderful winter! cold with lots of snow and warm food. tis the season for soups and stews. chili has become a go to winter recipe for me. the recipe is simple, packed with flavor, and keeps well. go figure, I'm not the first to notice that chili keeps well: on the American frontier settlers often brought chili with them for the trip. before traveling the chili was dried into bricks and could easily be heated on the road.
I paired this chili recipe with the work of Mardonio Magaña, A Mexican sculptor was known for his folk art and stone direct carvings, he was also known to work with wood and mud. A self-taught artist inspired by nature. His work represents the vigorous persistence of the rural and campesino tradition in twentieth-century Mexican art.
ingredients:
2 tablespoons of olive or vegetable oil
1 medium red skinned onion, chopped
1 large red pepper, seeded and chopped
1 large green pepper, seeded and chopped
1 large jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped
5 cloves garlic, crushed and chopped
1 cup of vegetable stock/broth or pale beer
1 can of crushed or diced tomatoes
1 can of black beans
1 can of red kidney beans
1 can of corn
1 tablespoon of ground cumin
2 tablespoons of chili powder (or to taste)
1 tablespoon of cayenne hot pepper sauce (or to taste)
1 teaspoon of salt
toppings:
chopped scallions, whites and greens
2 cups shredded spicy monterey jack (your preference)
corn tortilla chips (your preference)
prep time: 10 min
cook time: 23- 30 min
total time: 40 min
directions:
over moderate heat, add oil to a deep pot and combine onion, peppers, and garlic. saute for 3 to 5 minutes to soften vegetables.
deglaze pan with broth, add tomatoes, black beans, red kidney beans, and stirring to combine.
season with cumin, chili powder, hot sauce,& salt.
thicken chili by using a potato masher to mash the beans.
simmer over low heat about 5 min
stir in the corn to the chili, let the chili simmer for another 5 to 10 minutes.
serve bowls of chili and top with chopped scallions. (add cheese and tortillas if you so choose!)
voila! bon appétit!
