"Wildfire on the Skagit" - Black chili with beans
Firehawks Smokejumpers #3
EXCERPT:
She pulled her big knife out of its thigh sheath, a well-worn, Vietnam-era K-bar. She sliced open a pair of Meals Ready to Eat with the ease of long practice and slipped it back into the sheath.
“There’s a Don’t Mess With Me message if ever I saw one,” Evan pulled out a much newer but equally worn K-bar Becker and did the same to a couple of MREs of his own.
“Grandpop’s,” she explained tapping her sheath.
“Mine,” he resheathed his blade.
She could see it in him. It wasn’t posturing or bragging; it was part of who he was. She’d barely glanced at his resume because she didn’t trust such things, preferred her own judgments about people. But she recalled some stretch of US Army time before he’d gone to smokejumping.
One of his meals was the Mexican Style Chicken Stew. He pulled out packet of instant hot chocolate and sprinkled it into the pouch.
“What the hell, Rook?”
“Mole sauce,” he finished sprinkling. He picked out the dehydrated marshmallows and, popping them into his mouth, began sucking on them like candy.
“Got some extra?” She’d drawn a Chili with Beans which was okay, but she liked the idea of Mexican.
He handed her the half empty packet which she dumped in.
They each set their foil packets on a rock around the campfire and sat back to wait for the meals to heat from totally disgusting—the way they were normally eaten on a fire—to warmly awful.
NOTE: An easy dish that adds to a meal or stands by itself. Commercial ham makes the beans too salty for us, leading us to cutting it wholly out of the recipe. A pound of sautéed hamburger, seasoned with a bit more oregano, can be added along with the beans but we rarely bother.
Active time: 1-1/2 hours / Cook time: 5-9 hours / Total time: 10 hours / Serves: 8+
Ingredients
- 1/2 lb. bacon, chopped
The Veggies (pre-combine)
- 2 large onions, diced
- 2 red bell peppers, diced
- 2 jalapeños, diced
The Spices (pre-combine)
- 5 cloves garlic, minced (keep separate)
- 3 Tbsp. chili powder
- 2 Tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 Tbsp. dried oregano
- 1 Tbsp. ground cumin
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
- 1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes (use very little, slow cooking strongly enhances pepper)
Next Ingredients
- 6 c. water
- 4 c. low-sodium chicken broth
- 1-1/2 lbs. dried black beans, picked over for possible stones
- 1 lb. hamburger, crumbled and sautéed, seasoned with 2 tsp. of oregano, salt, and pepper (optional)
Final Ingredients
- 28 oz. fire-roasted diced tomatoes
- 16 oz. canned black beans, rinsed
Garnishes
- 2 Tbsp. lime juice
- Cheddar cheese
- Avocado, ripe
- Tomatoes, fresh and diced
- Scallions, thinly sliced
- Cilantro or parsley
The Instructions
- In a large Dutch oven, cook the bacon until crisp, about 8 minutes. Set aside on paper towels to drain. Reserve 2-3 Tbsp. of fat in the pot.
- If you want hamburger, reserve an additional 2-3 Tbsp. of bacon fat separately for Step 3. Sauté the hamburger and set aside.
- Cook the vegetables in the remaining bacon fat until soft, about 8 minutes. Set half of the vegetables aside, covered in the fridge.
- Add the spices to the remaining vegetables, mixing well until fragrant, 1-2 minutes. Do not scorch.
- In an open spot, sauté the garlic until fragrant, 30 seconds.
- Add water, broth, dried beans, and bacon (and hamburger if you did that). Bring to a boil and simmer for 15 minutes.
- Pour into slow cooker: 4-6 hours on high, 8-9 on low. If your slow cooker is vented, cover with a piece of aluminum foil pressed down against the surface of the liquid before covering.
- Half an hour before service, add the canned tomatoes and cook covered on high until softened, about 20 minutes.
- Mash the rinsed black beans in a bowl. Add mashed beans and reserved vegetables then heat until warmed through, about 5 minutes.
- Taste for salt balance. Garnish and serve.
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This bowl is garnished with fresh tomatos and avaocado hiding under the cheddar cheese. Hearty, tasty, and healthy. A winning combination. |