Chili when it's chilly.

Makes sense, right? Of course, chilly in Houston isn't chilly everywhere else. Chilly in Houston is, "oh my goodness, it's below 80!". I have a good friend, Kimmy, who live in Rhode Penninsula (yes, I know it's Rhode Island, but it's NOT really and island, is it? So, I refuse to call it that....heaven help the weeone when she takes a test of the states in the Union because I've rubbed off). Anyway, Kimmy has to wear like 20 layers of clothes by the end of October to survive the cold. I have to wear a sweater over my tank top and may put on jeans rather than shorts. This time of year always gives me a giggle because when you go shop for Halloween costumes there are plenty of those thick, plush, warm costumes and I always wonder who the heck buys them. Then I talk to Kimmy and find out that her kids need like 5 layers under that!!! It's a very different chilly, that's all.

So, since our chilly is different, I decided to make a chili that was different. *Now, I'm whispering this part because if I say it outloud, they may kick me out of Texas....this is a Vegetarian Chili. I know, I know, but the weeone loves, loves, loves black beans so I thought this would be a way to get her to eat chili.*

This was an easy-peasy recipe that managed to spatter all over my white stovetop, but I didn't really mind since it was a one pot wonder....love that! I followed the recipe exactly for a change and loved the outcome. The weeone loved it as well. I did add some sour cream to her end product to tame the spices since she's not a heat-lover yet. I'm working on her though.

Enjoy this with some cornbread muffins and whatever Mexican beer you put in it...

• Black Bean Chili
• Rachel Ray's Big Orange Book
• 
  
• 4 large poblano peppers
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO)
• 1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and finely chopped
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped or grated
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 15-ounce cans black beans, drained of half their liquid
• 2 tablespoons (a large palmful) chili powder
• 2 teaspoons (about half a palmful) ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon allspice (eyeball it)
• 1 bottle dark lager beer, such as Negro Modelo
• 1 15-ounce can (or half a 28-ounce can) crushed fire-roasted tomatoes
• 2 cups beef or vegetable stock (use vegetable to make it vegetarian)
• Hot sauce, to taste
• 1/2 cup sour cream, for garnish
• 1/2 cup chopped cilantro, for garnish
• 
  

Heat broiler to high.

Char the poblanos under the broiler so their skins blacken, 7-8 minutes. Place in a bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let stand 10 minutes. Once the peppers have cooled enough to handle, peel and seed them, then roughly chop them up and set them aside.

Place a medium-size pot over medium-high heat with 2 tablespoons EVOO, about two turns of the pan. Add the jalapeño, onion and garlic to the pan, and cook 6-7 minutes, until the veggies are tender. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper, then add in the beer, scraping up any brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Cook a few minutes to reduce the liquid by half, then add the black beans and their liquid, the chopped poblanos, spices, crushed tomatoes and stock. Bring up to a bubble, then reduce the heat and simmer to thicken slightly, about 5 minutes. Adjust the seasoning with salt and freshly ground pepper as needed.

Serve the chili up and pass around hot sauce, sour cream, and cilantro at the table to top it with.

Serves 6-8