INGREDIENTS

INSTRUCTIONS

GREEN CHILES
SORT THROUGH THE BEANS and remove any small stones. Rinse them well, cover
them generously with water, and let them soak overnight. Next day, drain
the beans, cover them with fresh water by a couple of inches and bring them
to a boil with the bay leaf. Lower the heat and let the beans simmer while
you prepare the rest of the ingredients. Heat a small heavy skillet over
medium heat.
Add cumin seeds, and when they begin to color, add the oregano leaves,
shaking the pan frequently so the herbs don't scorch. As soon as the
fragrance is strong and robust, remove the pan from the heat and add the
paprika and cayenne. Give everything a quick stir; then remove from the
pan, the paprika and cayenne only need a few seconds to toast. Grind in a
mortar or spice mill to make a coarse powder. Preheat the oven to 375F. To
make the chili powder, put the dried chile in the oven for 3-to-5 minutes
to dry it out. Cool briefly; then remove the stem, seeds and veins. Tear
pod into small pieces and grind into a powder in a blender or a spice mill.
Heat oil in a large skillet and saute the onions over med.heat until they
soften. Add garlic, salt, ground herbs and chili powder and cook another 5
minutes. Add tomatoes and their juice. Simmer everything together for 15
minutes then add this mixture to the beans, and, if necessary, enough water
so the beans are covered by at least 1". Continue cooking beans slowly
until they are soft, an hour or longer, or pressure cook them for 30
minutes at 15 pounds pressure. Keep an eye on the water level and add more,
if needed, to keep beans amply covered. When beans are cooked, taste them
and season to taste with the vinegar, additional salt if needed, and the
chopped cilantro. Prepare garnishes. If you are using fresh green chiles,
roast over a flame until evenly charred. Let steam 10 minutes in a bowl
covered with a dish; then scrape off the skins, discard the seeds, and
dice. Serve chili ladled over a large spoonful of grated cheese and garnish
with creme fraiche or sour cream, green chilies and a sprig of fresh
cilantro. Though served in a bowl and eaten with a spoon, this chili is a
great deal thicker than most soups... thick enough in fact to be served on
a plate right alongside fritters or cornbread. It also, however, can be
thinned considerably with stock, water or tomato juice to make a thinner
but still very flavorful black bean soup. When thinned to make a soup, it
can be served as part of a meal rather than a meal in itself. This is one
of the best known recipes from the San Francisco restaurant Greens.
DEBORAH MADISON - PRODIGY GUEST CHEFS
Posted to MC-Recipe Digest by Nancy Berry <nlberry@prodigy.net> on May 15,
1998

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