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Harvest Chile Chili
By Sunny Conley Photography by Russell Bamert
Finally! Autumn has arrived. It’s always been my favorite season. As a child growing up in Michigan, I’d help Dad rake the leaves that had fallen from a nearby sprawling maple tree. We’d load them into a wheelbarrow and dump the contents onto the street. Using the matches tucked in his trousers, Dad would light the leaves. Soon a fire raged, drawing friends who lived down the street. We’d poke sticks into giant marshmallows and roast the morsels over a flame until they turned golden brown. We couldn’t wait to stuff the cloyingly gooey sweet into our mouths.
This memory returns to me each year during chile harvest when the plump pods are roasted in giant metal baskets that rotate over a hissing propane flame. The aroma whets my appetite for my favorite bowl of soup—Chile Chili, a vegetarian combo using a variety of fresh roasted chiles, red bells, tomatillos, sweet onions, and pinto beans spiced with fresh ground coriander and cumin. A splash or two of tequila adds a surprisingly flavorful kick to this savory healthful dish.
HARVEST CHILE CHILI
(MAKES 6 GENEROUS HELPINGS)
1 pound dried pinto beans
6 green chile peppers, stemmed, seeded and roasted (mild to hot)
 4 poblano peppers, stemmed, seeded and roasted
3 jalapeño or serrano peppers
2 freshly ground black pepper
2 tbsp olive oil
2 medium New Mexico onions, peeled and chopped
3 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
1 tbsp ground cumin
1 tbsp fresh ground coriander seed
2 pounds tomatillos, husked, rinsed well (to remove sticky
residue) and chopped
2 cups corn kernels, either fresh or frozen
1 large red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded and diced
1/4 cup piñon nuts (pine nuts), chopped
3 splashes tequila juice of 1 ripe lime
11/2 tsp salt
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro, stems removed
Garnishes (optional) sour cream or yogurt and a sprig of cilantro
Note: Mix and match your favorite chile peppers to taste.
 Prepare beans according to package directions. Roast peppers in a 450º F oven for 15 minutes until skins are charred and blistering. Place in heavy-duty zipper style freezer bags and allow to steam for 10 to 15 minutes. Open bag and allow peppers to cool briefly. Remove stems, skins and seeds and chop.
Heat the oil over low heat in a Dutch oven. Add onions and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Add cumin and coriander and cook 2 minutes more, then add rinsed beans and 2 quarts of water. Bring mixture to a boil, then lower heat and simmer 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally and adding water if necessary to keep beans covered.
Stir in the chopped peppers, tomatillos, corn, and red bell pepper, and simmer 30 more minutes. Add piñon nuts, tequila, lime juice, salt, pepper, and cilantro. Stir ingredients.
Serve in large soup bowls and garnish with a dollop of sour cream or yogurt and a sprig of cilantro, if desired and bread (as pictured).
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