White Chili

I like chili, lots of different types.  I like how you can toss just about anything in there and it mostly just adds some depth to the flavor.   This recipe is from the Washington Post and I liked it, but also discovered I'm not much of a fan of hominy because it tastes like farm to me so I'v substituted another can of beans in its place.  I wouldn't be adverse to adding yet another can.... 

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon oil
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 3 medium poblano peppers seeded and diced
• 3 tablespoons seeded and finely diced jalapeño pepper
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 3/4 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste
• 12 ounces lean ground pork or turkey
• Three (15 1/2-ounce) cans no-salt-added white beans, such as cannellini, drained and rinsed
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt (whole-milk or reduced fat), for serving
• 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro leaves, for serving
• 4 lime wedges, for serving

In a large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium heat, heat the oil until shimmering. Add the onion, poblanos and jalapeños and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are soft, 6 to 8 minutes. Add the garlic, cumin, oregano, coriander, salt and cayenne pepper and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

Add the pork and cook, breaking up the meat with a spoon, until no longer pink, about 3 minutes. Add the beans and the broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the ingredients have melded, about 20 minutes. Using a spoon, mash some of the beans on the side of the pot to thicken the mixture a bit.

Add the hominy and taste the stew. Season with more salt and/or cayenne pepper, if desired, and continue to cook, uncovered and stirring occasionally, until the ingredients have warmed through and the chili has thickened, about 15 minutes.

Ladle into bowls and top each with a dollop of yogurt, a sprinkle of cilantro and a lime wedge.

Barley and Black Bean Chili

Barley and Black Bean Chili


olive oil
1 large onion, diced
1 bell pepper, diced
6 cloves garlic
1 T chili powder
2 tsp cumin
1 tsp oregano
chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, minced - a little goes a long way! To taste
1/2 lb black beans, soaked and cooked
1 28 oz can tomato...crushed, pureed,or mini dice
2 cups cooked pearled barley
1 c cooked wheat berries
dash sugar
Salt & pepper to taste

Heat oil over medium-high heat. Add onion, pepper, garlic, chili powder, cumin, oregano, salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 5 minutes. Add beans, tomatoes, chipotle to taste, water. Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 25 minutes.

Stir in cooked wheat berries and heat through.

I loved this stuff! Mmmm.....

Leek and white bean soup

I just learned that kale and brussels sprouts can hang out on their stalks for a good long time in the fall. I've never grown either so I had no reason to know that but it does explain why we're still getting so much kale in the share. We're not overly fond of greens in cooked form where they're easily identified but I'm finding them to be very useful and unoffensive when used in soups and stews.


Leek and White Bean Soup with Kale

1 lb dried small white beans, soaked and cooked
1 bunch (3 medium) leeks
1/2 bunch kale, cleaned, blanched and chopped small.
1/4 c butter
water
3 chicken broth cubes
pepper
1/2 tsp dried tarragon


Saute the leeks in the butter until they're soft. Add the cooked beans and enough water to cover. Puree with immersion blender at any point in the process if you're so inclined. Add the remaining ingredients.

My kale was some sort of purple kale so my soup looks like a blueberry smoothie. Very tasty!

Cooking Day

There are days when I spend a lot of time in the kitchen and today is one of them.

First, I made a huge pot of marinara sauce to use up some of the onions from the share. They just don't last as long as the ones we get at the store.

Next, a modified version of the classic seven layer bar. I used craisins in place of butterscotch chips and mmmmm! It brightens up the flavor a bit.


Seven Layer Bars
350 F
25 min

1 stick butter, melted
2 c graham cracker crumbs (about 1.5 packs)
1 14 oz can sweetened condensed milk
1 c chopped walnuts
1 c craisins
2 c chocolate chips
1 1/3 c sweetened coconut (I think unsweetened might be better here)

Mix melted butter and graham cracker crumbs. Press into 9" x 13" pan. Pour sweetened condensed milk evenly over the crumbs. Pile on the rest in the order given. Press everything gently down into the condensed milk. Bake, cool, and try not to eat too many.


Then I made some coleslaw using cabbage, apples, carrots, apple cider vinegar, and mayo. Had to use up the stuff from the share and everything except the mayo were share items.

Lastly, I decided to make Portuguese White Beans and Sausage after reading the recipe here. Time consuming so it's a good thing to make while doing other things in the kitchen. I had to use ordinary (no dry-cured smoked Spanish) chorizo because that's all I could find at the one store I checked.


Portuguese White Beans and Sausage
From the book The New Portuguese Table by David Leite

½ lb. thick-sliced slab bacon, cut crosswise into ½-inch pieces
¾ lb. chouriço, linguiça, or dry-cured smoked Spanish chorizo, cut into ¼-inch coins
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Olive oil, if needed
2 large yellow onions, diced
1 Turkish bay leaf
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 tsp. sweet paprika
1 lb. dried Great Northern or navy beans, picked over, rinsed, and soaked overnight in water to cover by 3 inches
½ tsp. crushed red pepper flakes, or more to taste
¼ cup double-concentrate tomato paste
~
Kosher salt
~
Freshly ground black pepper
~
Chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves, for garnish

Steps

Heat a large pot over medium-low heat. Add the bacon and cook, stirring often, until the fat has rendered and the meaty bits are crisp, about 15 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to paper towels.

Bump up the heat to medium, add the chouriço, and sear until lightly browned, 7 to 10 minutes. Transfer the chouriço to paper towels.

Pour off all but 3 tablespoons of fat from the pot. Or, if the pot is dry, drizzle in some oil. Add the onions and bay leaf and cook, stirring frequently, until deeply golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes; adjust the heat as necessary to prevent the onions from burning.

Add the garlic and paprika and cook for 1 minute more. Drain the beans and dump them into the pot, along with the chouriço, red-pepper flakes, and 3½ cups water. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low, cover, and let burble gently, stirring occasionally, until the beans are tender. Begin checking at 45 minutes, but it may take as long as 1½ hours, depending on your beans; add more water if needed.

Fish out and toss the bay leaf. Stir in the tomato paste and bacon and simmer for 10 minutes to thicken the cooking liquid. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Let the beans sit, uncovered, for 10 minutes to absorb any excess liquid.

Scoop the beans into a serving dish and shower with parsley.


It was good, not great although Sam ate it without complaint.