3 for 1 on Black Bean Chili

Slow-Cooked Black Bean Chili.

Ingredients:
1 LB Black Beans.
4 Fresh Tomatoes, Large Dice.
2 Medium Onions, Small Dice.
2 Jalapenos, Seeded and Diced.
1 Pint Tomato Puree.
2 Pints Beer.(or Water, if you're a communist)
3 TBSP Chili Powder
4 Cloves Garlic, Minced
Salt, Pepper to Taste.

The Process:
Part I
1. Wash the Black Beans. Soak overnight.

Part II
2. Drain the Black Beans.
3. Sweat the Onion, Minced Garlic, and Jalapenos in a sauce pot over medium-high heat.
3. Add the Black Beans, Tomato Puree, Onion, Beer, and Chili Powder to the Onion, Garlic, and Jalapenos.
4. Simmer for several hours on low-heat until reduced.
5. Check after the first hour to see if the beans have softened. Once they are softened to your liking, serve over boiled white rice. 

This is a recipe I make when I’m being really lazy. I like to pretend occasionally cooking vegan food like this is expanding my horizons, but in this case it’s honestly just a chance to make an easy meal using cheap ingredients.

In addition to that, most of the above measurements are just guidelines. Add more of anything to adjust to your own personal taste. Just make sure there's enough liquid to keep your chili from burning. 

Really it’s kind of funny how this has become a go-to recipe for me. The first time I had meatless chili as a child, I literally cried because there was no meat in the chili. How could you have chili without meat? It just didn’t seem right. Rightfully so my grandmother kicked my ass all the way up to my bedroom without dinner for being a right bastard about the whole no-meat thing. That’s not a particularly proud moment in my own early culinary development. Eventually I grew up (kind of) and looking back at my reaction to the concept of dinner without beef sort of reminds me that kid’s don’t know a damn thing about food.

There are some recipes that will recommend you make Chili with Tofu in it, I it’s a bad idea to mix tofu into the chili. The long cooking process and the strength of the spices in the chili tends to overwhelm the tofu and turn it into a mushy mess. This is disgusting, and it’s exactly what happens when you try to ‘replace’ meat instead of just plain’ ol not using it.

If you do want Tofu with this, I recommend taking a slice about ½ inch thick, and pan searing it in a little olive oil with Salt & Pepper. One of Extra Firm Tofu’s strengths (in my estimation) is how it’s texture is vaguely reminiscent of a Frittata or Tortilla Espanola. Therefore, consider as a brunch item, this set up:

Tofu Rancheros:

The Ingredients:
1 Cup Black Bean Chili
2 Slices (½ Inch Thick) Extra Firm Tofu, Pan Seared.
1 Cup Small Diced Potatoes, Boiled until tender, drained, and then Pan Fried in blended Olive and Truffle Oil.
1 Tortilla, Pan Fried in Olive Oil.
1 Sprig Cilantro
1 Wedge Lime
2 TBSP Pico de Gallo (Fresh Made)

The Process:
1. Fry the Tortilla, pat dry.
2. Place the Tortilla on your serving Plate.
3. Top the Tortilla with the Pan Fried Potatoes.
4. Pour the Chili on top of the Potatoes.
5. Rest the Pan Seared Tofu on top of the Chili.
6. Garnish with Cilantro, Lime, and Pico de Gallo.

So there you go. If you bother to make it, tell me what you think.

Oh, also for the record:

Pico de Gallo

Ingredients:
1 Small Diced Onion
2 Small Diced Tomatoes
1 Small Diced Jalapeno
2 Wedge Lime
2 TBSP Minced Cilantro

The Process:
1. Combined the Tomato, Jalapeno, Onion, and Cilantro.
2. Squeeze the Lime Wedges into the mixture.
3. Stir.
4. Consume. 

Three recipes in one today. Because I’m just that awesome.

It's Peanut Butter Crepe Time!

Making crepes is hard. Or at least I always thought it would be, they’re so flimsy and you need to flip them right and everyone always tells you its hard. They’re full of crap. Crepes are easy, use a nonstick skillet, a little bit of spray if you’re extra concerned about the batter sticking, and have at. I like making crepes - it’s something super easy that you can make out of some of the most readily available ingredients in the kitchen.

I wish I could tell a better story, but I can’t really think of one right now.

Anyhoo, I promised myself I would post one Vegan recipe a week. So here it is!

VEGAN PEANUT BUTTER CREPES

2.5 oz. (2 shot glasses worth) Creamy Peanut Butter
1 Cup Flour
1 Cup  Unsweetened Almond (or Soy) Milk
2 TBSP Raw Cane Sugar
Vegetable Spray

1. Whisk together the Peanut Butter, Flour, Almond Milk, and Cane Sugar until smooth.
2. Heat up a non-stick skillet over a medium-high heat.
3. Lightly coat the skillet with the vegetable spray.
4. Pick the skillet up,
5. While the skillet is in your hand - Pour 1/3 cup of the batter into the skillet.
6. Holding the skillet's handle, swirl the pan around to spread the batter out evenly around the skillet.
7. Return to heat.
8. Cook for 1-2 minutes.
9. Once you can shake the pan (horizontally) and the crepe moves freely within the pan, use a plastic spatula to flip the crepe.
10. Cook for 30 more seconds.
11. Remove to plate.
12. Repeat until you’ve finished all the batter.
13. Garnish with fresh fruit, syrup, and/or mint.

I'm sure I could come up with some sort of pun on the term "Sticky Rice" if I were wittier.

I'm not sure who I'm writing this for...

Why do I read the comments section on news websites? It’s full of insipid hate-filled comments by a host of people who aren’t quite as clever as they like to think they are. Here’s the deal: words like “dumbocrats” or “nobama” aren’t as funny as you think they are. You look like an asshole.

I say this for a reason, one that applies to a great number of cooks out there in the culinary world… The vitriolic hate spewed by anonymous commentators who’ve barely mastered the ability to type their own name mirrors what a lot of people out there marching into culinary school or working on the line feel for vegan and vegetarian food - they just don’t get how someone could reject all the great food out there, or just can’t eat a steak, or they dismiss a whole genre in the world of cuisine as a privilege of the first world not worthy of serious consideration.

Now, there are obnoxious vegan and vegetarian kids too - the sanctimonious types who assume that “if you just knew” that chickens had to be killed to make that grilled chicken breast sandwich you’re eating that you would reach the same socio-political zen state that they’ve achieved. They are the kinds of people who show you pictures of tortured animals in a campaign that seems eerily reminiscent of certain pro-life organizations. They’re assholes. I didn’t write this for them.

But I’ve found that you can cook some downright decent food without using animal products. They’re staples in world cuisines - and in a lot of places you can’t get meat regularly and you have to make due with what you’ve got. It’s a simple fact. In addition to that: if you’re broke in the states then knowing how to cook a decent batch of beans and rice can make your day.

So the other day I was rooting though the house for anything halfway decent to make for dinner and not really coming up with anything decent. I wound up coming up with this to eat after taking stock of what I had:

Coconut Chickpea Curry with Sticky Rice

The Ingredients:

2 Tbsp Olive Oil
2 Tsp Chili Oil
2 Cup Diced Onion
1 TBSP Minced Ginger
2 TBSP Minced Cilantro
2 Small Diced, Seeded Jalapenos
1 Can Coconut Milk
2 Limes Juice & Zest
1 LB Chickpeas
64 oz. Water

2 Cups Short Grain Rice
64 oz. Water

8 Sprigs fresh Cilantro.
8 Lime Wedges.
½ C. Dried Flaked Coconut
½ TSP Lemon Zest
½ TSP Lime Zest
½ TSP Orange Zest
2 C. Small Diced Mango, Nectarines, and/or Peaches.

Salt & Pepper to taste

The Process:

1) Soak the Chickpeas overnight in 32oz of water.
2) Soak the rice overnight in 32oz of water.

3) Sweat the Onion, Ginger, Lime Zest, and diced Jalapeno in the Olive and Chili Oil. Over medium-high heat
4) Reduce the heat to low, Add the Lime Juice, Cilantro, and Coconut milk.
5) Drain the chickpeas, add them to the mixture.
6) Simmer for 1-2 Hours until the Chickpeas are tender and the flavor develops to your liking.
7) While the curry is cooking, drain the rice.
8) Place the rice in a pot and cover with 32 oz. of fresh water.
9)Bring the rice to a boil.
10) Reduce the temperature on the rice to medium-low
11) Cook until the water absorbs into the rice. (Around 20 minutes)
12) While this is all going on, preheat your oven to 300 Degrees
13) Toss together the Coconut, Lemon Zest, and Lime Zest
14) spread the Coconut mixture on a cookie sheet
15) Toast the Coconut Mixture until golden brown (7-10 minutes)
16) The rice should be nice and sticky - and should clump together rather well.
17) Scoop a clump the rice into individual serving bowls
18) Pour a ladleful of the Chickpea Curry over the Sticky Rice
19) Sprinkle the Toasted Coconut Mixture on top of the curry. Garnish each bowl with the diced fruit, a wedge of lime and a sprig of cilantro.

*To make the limes easier to cut and juice try rolling them on a cutting board with your hand while applying pressure. This breaks down the fibers inside the lime and makes them easier to work with.