Black Bean LIme Chili

Hello! I have returned! Did you miss me? I thought so.

As I mentioned before, Josh was in Tahoe for a conference, so we decided to make a Northern California weekend of it. I flew up to Sacramento (yay cheap Southwest flights!) where he picked me up en route to Monterey so we could ogle the aquarium. Josh is pretty nuts for jellyfish, but I had a nice time, so I should obviously just shut up.

Since we were going to Cannery Row and whatnot, I got a handful of Steinbeck books on CD to listen to in the car to get in the mood. Then I remembered I am not a big Steinbeck fan and pouted until Josh let me eject them in favor of the new Chuck Palahniuk book (I am a subversive terrorist pygmy! bampow!). Despite this, I insisted we go to Salinas to the Steinbeck museum, which was crawling with slow, loud, old people evidently being wowed by the exhibits. I guess someone had to be; their shallow one-sided-ness made me angry. Which is interesting--what else would I expect at a museum for the guy?

We were actually going to go for longer, but I had to cut the trip short a day so I could get back in time to get to the Big Bear Film Festival and do some hustling with my script. My friend John is pretty amazing at being my make-believe manager and he introduced me to 4,000 people who would ask to read the script before they were done shaking my hand. Doesn't mean anything will happen, but a girl can dream. And it was still fun. Really fun.

Also, side note - in case you were wondering what my new slogan for Big Bear is, it's this: Big Bear, the New Hampshire of California.

Like it?

Anyhow, by Sunday, all the traveling, schmoozing, otter-gaping, high-altitude drinking, and returning from said high altitude in a car with shoddy brakes had gotten to me. By the time I got home, I laid around in a very cranky, pseudo-hungover state and tried not to be too bitchy to Josh (result: fail). By yesterday, however, I pulled myself together enough to get back on the Recipe Book train.

And what was on the menu last night? Why, chili, of course. Black Bean Lime Chili, to be exact. Not only do you people love to make me eat soup, you REALLY love to make me eat chili. I don't know what about me says, 'That girl needs a chili recipe,' but apparently it's something because this is like the 5th chili recipe in the book. Or second. Or 2.5th, if you count Jerry Knox's Hamburger & Beans, which is chili-esque. And I did a little flipping forward and found more. Dear, sweet Jesus, more.

Luckily, the Black Bean Lime Chili was from my delightful former coworker and fellow writer Sarah Pascarella, contributor of the lovely Tomato Bread Soup recipe. Knowing Sarah, and the previous recipe, I figured this would be a pretty tasty and high class-chili. I was not mistaken.

Which, I might add, is interesting because it is full with things I don't like (peppers, cilantro) or things that I don't mind, but wouldn't be sad if I never ate again (couscous, chicken). And yet you put it all together and voila, it turns out to be one of the nicest chili I have ever had. Okay, I can't say that because Josh would kill me (he loves making his chili), but still, it's seriously lovely. Easy to make, not too many ingredients and therefore not too much chopping, and it doesn't even take ages. Normally chili recipes tell you to let them simmer for a while; not this one. The lime gives it a really nice zing (translation: go light on the sour cream) and the chicken is even great--and this from a meat chili purist.

Of course Josh proclaimed it 'good.' I think it deserves a 'great,' but as I may have said before, Josh loves making his own chili, so I think he can be a little tough on the competition. He still took a nice picture of it, though.

Chili on a plate and not in a bowl? Yes. Yes. Yes.

Sarah's Return to Reality Black Bean Lime Chili

1 cup water
2/3 cup couscous
3 tbsp olive oil
1 vidalia onion, chopped*
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 tbsp chili powder
1 14 oz can stewed tomatoes
1 15 oz can black beans
1 10 oz can white meat chicken, or 2 cups shredded chicken
1/2 cup fresh lime juice (about 3 normal-sized limes, or a thousand small [Persian? Key?] ones that we had)
1/4 cup fresh cilantro

Go to Trader Joe's because you think you can find all the ingredients there, which is not strictly true. Have to substitute yellow pepper for green and be unable to find the stewed tomatoes, which reduces you to making a second grocery store stop - at the now completely packed ghetto grocery. What a little new flooring will do for business.

Debate chopping everything first and doing the couscous last until you realize that A. this chili doesn't simmer for very long and B. the instructions start off with couscous-making. Give into the instructions.

Bring 1 cup water to a boil in a small saucepan and then pour the couscous in one steady stream. Stir to prevent lumps. Turn off the heat, cover, and set aside for 15 minutes once liquid is absorbed. Fluff with a fork. Either that, or follow the directions on the couscous box. Either way.

Having decided that canned chicken is an abomination, guesstimate how many little cutlets will result in ~ 2 cups of shredded chicken and cook them in oil in pan on stove. Then guesstimate how to 'shred,' which you decide involves sort of pulling it apart with the knife and some halfhearted cuts. Put aside.

In a heavy-bottomed pot, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion and cook until soft. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add bell peppers and chili powder and cook for another minute.

Stir in tomatoes and black beans and their liquid. Bring all to a simmer for 5 minutes or until thickened. Or way longer because Leslie & Jonathan stop by to drop off Olie for a week of dog-sitting and you get distracted and figure, 'Hey, it's chili, it can simmer.' Until Josh goes in and starts announcing that the chili is burning and sticking to the pot and saving it (thank you Josh).

Add chicken and heat through. Juice enough limes to make you insane in the old '70s-esque hand juicer. Realize that you are a moron because you have 2 different-sized modern, easier squeezers as well as a proper large juicing press. You are an idiot.

Debate whether to chop the cilantro. Figure it's better than having tons of stems in. Halfheartedly chop cilantro leaves (see 'chicken shredding' above).

Stir in hard-won lime juice and cilantro and remove from heat. Serve over fluffed couscous. Be surprised at how well couscous and non-soupy chili go together. Reheat the rest for lunch the next day. Delight.

*Onion chopping method: Mike Milch + Squeaky Kitty = No tears. Yes!