COLUMN: Warm the soul with a twist on chili
When I’m freezing there’s only one thing that can warm me all the way to my bones, and that’s a steaming hot bowl of chili. I think we’ve all been a little too cold this weekend and a little bummed about the snow clouds in the mountains.
This recipe is an autumn twist on a classic dish and it’s the perfect remedy for the winter’s-on-its-way blues. It’s got butternut squash, which has been showing up at the farmers market these past few weeks. It’s got black beans. It’s got chipotle chilies — smoked, dried jalapenos packed in adobo sauce — which add an irresistible smoky flavor.
It goes great with cornbread and can be tweaked any way you like. For example, if you want to use sweet potatoes instead of butternut squash that would totally work; if you want to add a dash of cayenne pepper to spice it up that’d be no problem; if you want to skip the bulgur — a type of wheat — and add ground beef instead, go for it.
Make it any way you want, just make sure you make a big enough batch to have leftovers that you can freeze in individual containers and pull out on one of the many chilly autumn nights to come.
Black Bean Chili with Butternut Squash
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion, peeled and chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
4 teaspoons chili powder
2 teaspoons ground coriander
1 (14.5 ounce) can fire-roasted tomatoes
2 cans black beans, drained and rinsed
1 chipotle chili from a can of chipotle chilies in adobo, minced
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 medium (about 1 1/4 pound) butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 1-inch cubes (see directions in recipe)
1/4 cup quick-cooking bulgur
Toppings:
Sour cream
Shredded Monterey jack cheese, or any other cheese you want
Sliced avocado
Peeling a butternut squash can seem kind of intimidating, but I promise it’s not too hard. Just use a regular potato peeler to get the skin off, then cut the squash in half length-wise with a big, sharp knife, then use a spoon to remove the seeds.
Cut off the top stem and discard it. From there it should be easy to cut the squash into 1-inch cubes. I recommend doing this step first before you start the chili so the squash is ready to go when it’s time to add it.
In a large pot heat the olive oil. Add the chopped onion and cook, stirring often, until it becomes soft and clear, about 5 minutes.
Add the garlic and sauté, stirring constantly, for about one minute or until it becomes light brown and fragrant.
Sprinkle the chili powder and coriander over the onions and garlic and stir for another minute or two. This helps bring out the flavor of the spices.
Meanwhile, in a blender puree the canned tomatoes, their juice and the chipotle chilies, until smooth. Add this tomato chili mixture, with the beans and oregano to the onions and spice mixture in the pot, and stir until combined.
(Note: The chipotle chili is what adds the unique smoky-sweet flavor to this dish, but it’s also what brings the heat. If you like your chili spicier you can add more than one chili, or if you just want to add more flavor, you can pour a few teaspoons of the adobo sauce from the can into the chili. Look for cans of chipotles in adobo in the Hispanic or ethnic foods section of your favorite grocery store.)
In the pot, add 5 cups of water and bring everything to a boil over medium-high heat.
Stir the squash and bulgur into the mixture and let it simmer uncovered until the squash and bulgur are both tender, about 30 minutes.
(Note: Bulgur adds nutritiousness and heartiness to this chili. Since you only need 1/4 cup, I recommend getting it in the bulk section at the grocery store so you don’t have to buy a lot. If you don’t want to bother with it at all, the chili will still be delicious. If you substitute meat, I would recommend leaving the bulgur out.)
Season with salt and pepper to taste, and garnish with sour cream, shredded cheese and sliced avocado.
– Jennelle Clark is a senior psychology major who runs the online food blog foodislikeart.blogspot.com. She loves making, eating and sharing her food. Comments can be sent to jenn.wilson@aggiemail.usu.edu