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Smitten Kitchen Three Bean Chili

9/30/2015

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I made a version of this earlier this week, in the slow cooker, with two beans, not three, and fresh tomatoes, not canned. Turned out great!  Chili is all about the peppers (aka chiles) and we've got quiet the variety at the market right now. Fresh peppers freeze well, so stock up at the market while they last and have fresh peppers for you chili all winter long!

Recipe from Smitten Kitchen. Her recipes are consistently delicious, thoughtful, and fun to prepare. Deb does the work to tweak, refine and reimagine classic dishes and new creations, so we don't have to. Give her recipe roll a browse if you haven't already!

http://smittenkitchen.com/blog/2014/04/three-bean-chili/  
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Ingredients:
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 medium onion, chopped small
  • 1 to 2 peppers of your choice (see Notes, below), finely chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 tablespoons chili powder
  • 2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons table salt or 2 1/2 teaspoons kosher or coarse salt
  • 1 12-ounce bottle beer
  • 1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes, fire-roasted if you can find them (I used about 2 cups fresh tomatoes)
  • 1 1/2 cups mixed dried beans (see Note)
  • 3 1/2 to 4 cups water


​Yield: About 9 cups chili; 8 smaller servings or 4 to 6 large ones



http://smittenkitchen.com/blog/2014/04/three-bean-chili/

Directions:                       
​Heat oil in the bottom of a medium-sized heavy pot or Dutch oven (if finishing it on the stove), in the pot of your pressure-cooker (if using one) or in a large skillet (if finishing in a slow-cooker). Once warm, add onion and cook for 5 minutes, until translucent. Add any fresh peppers and cook for 3 more minutes. Add garlic, chili powder, cumin, oregano and salt and cook for 2 minutes, until browned and deeply fragrant. Add beer and scrape up any bits stuck to the pot. Boil until reduced by half, or, if you’re nervous about alcohol content, until it has all but disappeared. 

If finishing on the stove: Add tomatoes, dried beans, any dried or rehydrated-and-pureed chiles and the smaller amount of water. Bring mixture to a full boil and boil for one minute, then reduce heat to a very low, gentle simmer, place a lid on your pot, and cook for 2 1/2 to 3 hours, until the beans are tender, stirring occasionally. Add the last 1/2 cup water if mixture seems to be getting dry, though I didn’t need it in most of my tested batches. If a slightly more sloshy chili wouldn’t bother you, you can add it from the get-go.

If finishing in a slow-cooker: Scrape onion, spice and beer mixture into a slow-cooker and add tomatoes, dried beans, any dried or rehydrated-and-pureed chiles and the smaller amount of water. Cook on HIGH for 6 to 7 hours, until beans are tender. You can add the last 1/2 cup water if needed, but probably will not find it necessary.

If finishing in a pressure-cooker: Follow the directions from your pressure cooker manufacturer. I failed to get this fully tested in my new one (boo) but estimate that it will take 20 to 22 minutes on high. 

Serve as-is or with fixings of your choice.


Notes:
  • Peppers: The most important decision you make about your chili is, unsurprisingly, in the chiles themselves. If you’re cooking for people who don’t like spicy food, I recommend just using 1 bell pepper or 1 fresh poblano, which is very mild. 2 fresh jalapenos will give you slightly more heat. 2 small dried chiles, depending on which you use, will give you a bit more of a kick, as will 1 to 2 chipotle en adobo peppers from a can. If you need help choosing a dried chile, Serious Eats has a great guide to the properties of each here. To best incorporate the flavor of dried chiles into your chili, cover them with a bit of boiling water until they’re soft, then puree them. If this sounds like too much work, you can cook them with the dried beans for decent heat flavor infusion. 
  • Chile powder: If you’d like the clear flavor of your dried chiles to come through, you can skip the chile powder in part or entirely.
  • Tomatoes: This makes a fairly tomato-y chili. If that’s not your thing, halve the suggested tomatoes, using only a 15-ounce can instead.
  • Beer: Use whatever type you’d like here. I used Dos Equis; I think a Negra Modelo would also impart a nice, deep flavor.
  • Beans: I use a mix of three beans here, usually 1/3 dried kidney beans, 1/3 black beans and 1/3 pinto beans, but I had a bag small pink Rosa de Castillo beans from Rancho Gordo around so I used them instead. I find that these three beans, surprisingly, take about the same time to cook, but if you’re nervous one will take longer than the others, you can soak it in water while preparing your other ingredients. Even 30 minutes should even up the cooking times.
  • To pre-soak your beans: This recipe doesn’t call for or require pre-soaking but pre-soaked beans will cook faster. How much faster depends on how long they are soaked for, but you can estimate that beans soaked for 6 hours or overnight will approximately halve suggested cooking times, regardless of cooking method. If pre-soaking beans, do so in the 3 1/2 to 4 cups of water listed in the recipe, and use the remaining soaking liquid as the water in the recipe. 
  • Using canned beans instead: 1 1/2 cups dried beans will yield approximately 3 to 3 3/4 cups of cooked ones. To use canned or already-cooked beans instead, you’ll want to use 2 to 3 15-ounce cans of cooked beans and then — this is important — skip the water. Simmer all of the ingredients except the drained and rinsed beans for 20 minutes, then add the beans and simmer it 10 minutes more. If the mixture looks dry, add 1/4 cup water and simmer for another few minutes.
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Equinox Stewed Veggies over Spaghetti Squash

9/22/2015

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Happy Autumnal Equinox, market go-ers! Wednesday, September 23rd, marks the mid point between the shortest and longest days of the year, a day where day and night are perfectly balanced. The autumn equinox is an opportunity to embrace the bounty of the season, a time to reflect on the fullness of summer, before turning inwards towards the dark months of winter. The following dish was shared with some dear friends last equinox. It is the best of abundant summer crops served atop of a fresh winter spaghetti squash, a perfectly symbolic equinox dish, if I do say so myself! Take a moment this Wednesday to reflect upon this season with those near and dear to you and enjoy the transition!


Recipe: Equinox Stewed Veggies over Spaghetti Squash

Ingredients:
  • 2-4 tomatoes (approx. 1.5-2 cups)
  • 2-3 bell peppers
  • 1-2 Eggplant
  • 1-2 summer squash
  • 1 small onion
  • 2-4 cloves garlic
  • 1 handful chopped okra 
  • Fresh herbs (basil, parsley, tarragon, rosemary, thyme, whatever you have on hand)
  • One medium spaghetti squash
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • Olive oil 
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Directions:                       

This is a very forgiving recipe. The idea is to let the rough cut veggies stew until very tender in the tomato base. Add or subtract any veggies you have on hand. Feel free to add some browned sausage at the end, or cheese.

For stewed veggies: Prepare the veggies: roughly chop tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, squash and onion into large chucks, slice okra and finely chop garlic. Add all ingredients to pot. Cook over medium low heat for 2-4 hours until veggies are very tender (this would also work in a crockpot). Add fresh chopped herbs, salt and pepper to taste before serving.

For squash:
Preheat oven to 350. Cut spaghetti squash in half lengthwise down from the stem. Scrape seeds with a spoon and discard. Lightly brush or rub squash halves with olive oil. Roast spaghetti squash cut side down for 40 minutes to one hour, until the squash is easily pierced with a knife. Flip over and allow to cool for 10 minutes. Use a fork to scrape the flesh into long noodles (rake your fork in the same direction as the strands of squash to make the longest noodles).

To serve: Add a large pile of spaghetti squash to each plate, top with a ladle full of stewed veggies. Add optional shredded cheese or browned sausage, additional fresh herbs, or fresh cracked pepper to taste. Best served with a crusty loaf of bread and great company! 

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Featured Produce: Melons!

9/15/2015

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Sweet melons are members of the cucurbit family along with cucumbers, pumpkins and squash. There are many verities of melons aside from the commonly known watermelon, cantaloupe, and honeydew. Our growers have featured several varieties of muskmelon, including, Aravas, a sweet green fleshed Israeli melon, bright yellow canary melons, and personal sized sugar baby watermelons. Try a new variety this week at the market!

Nutrition Fun Facts: Muskmelons like cantaloupe are very high in vitamin C and vitamin A (from it’s orange flesh!). Melons are high in fiber and good for digestion. They are also low in calories and make for a great healthy dessert!

Storage tips: Ripe melons should be stored immediately in the refrigerator, ideally in a crisper drawer with higher humidity.  Under ripe melons can sit on the counter for a few days until they reach the desired ripeness. Optimal ripeness can be determined by smelling the stem of a melon, hearing a low deep sound when thumped, or by gently pressing the top where the stem was, looking for a slight give.  Wait to wash your melon until you are ready to cut it. Melons are highly susceptible to mold when put away with damp skin. 

Preparation tips: Gently wash the skin of your melon prior to consuming. Cut the melon in half and scoop out the seeds. Cut the melon into wedges and remove the peal with a paring knife. To cube a melon, horizontally cut the wedges to the rind, but not through, prior to removing the skin.


Recipe: Tip Top Melon Sherbet!


·1 pound of juicy, extra-ripe, orange-fleshed melon
·1/4 cup mild flavored honey (needs to be fluid, and you might use a bit less depending on the sweetness of the melon)
· 1/2 cup milk 
· Generous pinch of salt

 











*Recipe from 101Cookbooks.comarchives/000365

   · Cut the melon flesh from its rind into a medium bowl and puree with a hand blender. You will need 2 cups of puree.
· Add the milk, and salt. Now you want to sweeten to taste. If your honey is in a solid or crystallized state you need to dunk the jar in a bowl of warm water until it is liquid again. This way it will mix easily with the rest of the ingredients. Start by blending in 2T. of the honey and taste. If you think the mixture needs to be sweeter, add more honey. Keep in mind you want the honey to bring out and complement the flavor of the melon, not overpower it.
· Pour into an ice-cream maker, and freeze according to the manufacturer's instructions.




Serves 4 to 6.
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Featured Produce: Field Peas!

9/1/2015

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PictureHomer Grown Field Peas. Featuring Pink Eyed Purple Hulled, Brown Crowder, Supremos (they're hot pink!), and Zipper Creams.
Pink-eyed Purple Hulled, Zipper Cream, Supremos, and Brown Crowder are all varieties of the common field pea. Field peas, a staple of southern cuisine, are slowly starting to make an appearance in markets and tables further north. Protein rich field peas were a key source of sustenance for southern farmers and slaves during the civil war when meat was scare and crops were lost in fighting. Field peas are easy to grow, good for the soil, nutrient dense and easy to prepare. It’s time for a field pea revival!

Nutrition Facts: Field peas as legumes are a great source of protein, up to 5g per half cup serving! They are also a good source of dietary fiber, high in trace minerals, and low in calories.  Like all beans, they are not a complete protein and are best when served up with a grain like rice or corn ala cornbread!

Storage tips: Field peas, removed from the shell, will remain good in the fridge for up to a week. Field peas freeze well and can be stored in plastic zipper bags for winter.

Preparation tips: Field Peas are more akin to dried beans than the fresh peas of spring, and are cooked accordingly. Place peas in a thick bottomed pot, covered with two inches of water or stock, and simmered for 30 minutes to an hour, depending on the variety and size of the pea and desired level of tenderness. Add onion and bacon or ham hock to the pot prior to cooking to impart some flavor to the beans. Traditional southerns often toss in 4-5 pods of whole okra to thicken the beans and balance the earthiness of the beans. Field peas can also used in place of many common beans in recipes like chili, stews, and even refried beans.


Recipe: A “Mess” (Or a Pot Full) of Field Peas with Okra

Ingredients:

·        4 cups fresh shelled field peas, any variety
·        2 1/2 cups water (you can substitute chicken stock or pork stock)
·        One small slice (about 1 1/2 ounces) of salt pork or other cured, smoked or not, piece of fatty pork such as bacon
·        OR you can substitute 1 tablespoon olive oil plus 1 teaspoon salt
·        OR a teaspoon of bacon grease
·        OR you can use a few small pieces of heavily salted fresh pork belly or fatback that you rendered slowly in a pan until well browned
·        4-5 small whole okra pods
·        Salt and pepper to taste
Directions

·       Carefully wash and pick over the peas. Discard any damaged peas and trash.
·       Put the peas in a pot and cover with water or stock. Bring to a boil over med-high heat. At this point the peas will throw off a lot of foam, which needs to be skimmed off. When the foaming stops, reduce the heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes.
·       Then place a handful of small okra pods on top of the peas, cover the pot, and simmer another 10-15 minutes until the peas are sufficiently tender — more than al dente, less than mushy.
·       Taste carefully for seasoning. The amount of salt you will need to add will depend on how salty your seasoning meat or cooking stock is.
·       Serve hot with cornbread, fresh sliced tomatoes with homemade mayonnaise, and a few slices of sweet onion.


*Recipe from: http://grist.org/article/peas-and-harmony/

 

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