Spicy Homemade Lentil and Bean Chili
Lentil chili in my favorite bowl! Garnished with sour cream, carrot matchsticks, fermented tomatoes and fermented serrano pepper
2 c uncooked French green lentils
1 can pinto beans with liquid
1/4 oz dried porcine mushroom
3 c water
8 oz can tomato sauce
1 small can tomato paste
2 oz pasilla ancho chile pods
2 oz puya chile pods
2 tbsp chili powder and paprika
3 cloves garlic
1 small yellow sweet onion
1/2 c apple cider vinegar
1 tbsp kosher salt
2 tbsp dried oregano
2 tsp black pepper
2 tsp cumin
2 tbsp cocoa powder
2 tbsp oil
1 stick dried rosemary. (I have leftover fresh rosemary that I place on a baking sheet to dry if I don’t get to using it up before it goes bad)
Tools needed:
Dutch oven
Knife
Cutting board
Blender
Fine mesh strainer (optional for straining chile pure)
Rubber spatula
Measuring cups/spoons
Stirring spoon
Oven
Let’s make it!
-Porcine mushroom stock
Make the mushrooms stock by placing the dried porcine mushrooms in 3 c water. Bring to a boil, turn off the heat and add dried oregano. Cover and let steep for 10 minutes to soften.
Making mushroom stock with dried porcine
-Soak lentils for minimum 1 hour, overnight is ideal. Strain and rinse
-Par cook lentils in 4 c water. Boil water, place lentils in water with a nice pinch of salt and dried rosemary stems. Simmer for 7-8 minutes until the lentils are al dente. Remove rosemary, strain and cool under cold running water. Strain thoroughly, set aside.
-In your dutch oven
Pull stems from chiles and place in dutch oven with the vinegar and 1 c water. Bring up to a simmer and cover with a lid to rehydrate. Continue simmering for 5-10 minutes until chiles become soft. Transfer chiles to a blender and blend with vinegar until smooth. I like to strain the seeds and skins in a fine mesh strainer, but this part is optional.
Heat dutch oven over medium low. Place in oil and onions. Season onions with kosher salt, sweat down until they become translucent and soft. Add garlic and sweat an additional minute. Add tomato paste, chili powder, paprika, cumin. Stir into the tomato paste and cook the paste for 2 minutes.
Add chile puree, lentils, cocoa powder, beans with liquid, stock and mushrooms. Bring up to a boil while gently stirring occasionally. Once it comes up to a boil, kill the heat and place lid on dutch oven. Place in oven and bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour. The water will reduce as the chili cooks in the oven. Cooking your lentil chili in the oven really helps develop nice, deep flavors. Taste lentils to see that they’re cooked thoroughly. Add more salt if needed and served in your favorite bowl with toppings of your choice. Sour cream, carrot match sticks, tomatoes, serrano peppers.
Enjoy
-Logan
