Mushroom, Ancho and Black Bean Chili
Have fun topping this meatless mushroom and bean chili with garnishes of shredded cheese, pickled jalapeño chili peppers and crushed tortilla chips.
Ingredients
- 3 ancho chili peppers, seeded and stemmed
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 1 1/2 pounds crimini or mixed fresh mushrooms of your choice, sliced
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin (a scant palmful)
- 2 teaspoons paprika (a scant palmful)
- 2 teaspoons ground coriander (a scant palmful)
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Salt and pepper
- 1 large red onion, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, sliced
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 can diced tomatoes with green chilies (14.5 ounces) or 1 can (14.5 ounces) stewed tomatoes
- 1 can black beans (15 ounces), rinsed
- 1 cup lager beer
- Toppings: shredded cheese, pickled jalapeño chili peppers, crushed tortilla chips (preferably flaxseed or multigrain)
Preparation
In a large saucepan, cover the anchos with about 2 cups water and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer until tender, about 10 minutes. Using a blender, puree the anchos and their cooking liquid to make a sauce.
Meanwhile, in a Dutch oven or other large pot, heat the oil, four turns of the pan, over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms, cumin, paprika, coriander and cinnamon. Cook until the mushrooms are dark and tender, 12-15 minutes; season with salt and pepper.
Stir in the onion and garlic, cover and cook until softened, 3-4 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste, then stir in the reserved chili sauce, the tomatoes, black beans and beer. Simmer to combine the flavors, 3-4 minutes. Serve with the toppings of your choice.
