Despite the intent and specific longings for a warm spring weekend, both our Northern and Southern camps are due for stormy weather over the next few days – snow north and flooding rains south.
Stormy weather, despite it being mid-spring calendar-wise, make us want to reach for a stick to the ribs soup or chile; She Who Must Be Obeyed put in a request for a “white bean chili” a few days ago.
In no way intending to open the “can real chile have beans?” can of worms at home, I acquiesced though reminded her gently that we adhere to the Texican rule that “real chile doesn’t have beans” no matter what they call chili (red, green or white) in the Midwest or other regions that don’t understand (or really care) about genuine chile history.
Almost every “white bean chili” recipe we’ve ever seen has green chiles and chicken in it; we have several very good recipes that fit the bill though this is my favorite, modeled after a dinner we had after a long and very good day skiing Taos years ago and featuring fresh chiles you roast yourself over fire.
They called it a Green Chile Chicken Stew and the name has stuck with us; not only does it better describe this delicious bowl of hot green goodness, but it avoids the beans in the chili semantic arguments that just end up make us feel tired all over.
This is a much simpler cook than the length of the recipe suggests. Soak those beans today and you’ll be eating like a king tomorrow.
1 lb. Great Northern beans, picked and rinsed, soaked for 8 hours
4-5 Poblano chiles
4-5 large New Mexico chiles
3 lb. skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs
1 tbsp kosher salt
2 tbsp butter
1 large onion, diced
3 medium carrots, sliced on a diagonal
6-8 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup chopped cilantro leaves and tender stems
2 jalapeno chiles, stemmed, seeded, diced small
2 tbsp ground cumin
1 tbsp good chili powder
1 tsp Mexican oregano
1/2 tsp cayenne
Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper to tasteGarnishes
Chopped cilantro
Lime quarters
Sour cream
Cheese (grated Monterey Jack or crumbled cotija)
Diced radishes
Roast the chiles. Roast the Poblano and New Mexico chiles (over a hardwood fire preferably) until blackened, steam in a paper sack for 20 minutes or so, then rub the skins off, stem, seed and dice all but one. Cut the one reserved pepper into long strips and set aside.
Poach that chicken. In your trusty stock pot, cover the chicken thighs with an inch or so of water and add the 1 tbsp salt; bring to a boil, then reduce to simmer for 25 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat, remove the chicken to a bowl and strain the broth. Add filtered water to make up 10 cups of broth if needed.
Start the stew. Wipe out the stock pot, melt the butter in it over medium heat and saute the onion, carrots and diced jalapenos until they’re beginning to soften; then add the garlic and stir for another minute or so.
Now add the beans, diced green chiles, cumin, chili powder, oregano, cayenne, cilantro and all the broth. Add more water or chicken stock to cover the beans by an inch or so if there’s not enough liquid. Bring to a boil, then partially cover and simmer for 90 minutes or so.
Meanwhile, skin, bone and shred the poached chicken, hold in the fridge.
Test the beans and finish. If the beans are tender at 90 minutes or so, add the chicken and cook another 30 minutes. Now take a potato masher or immersion blender and mash or puree about a 1/3 of the soup. If the beans aren’t tender at 90 minutes, test in another 30 and proceed.
Final flourish. Now add the strips of reserved green chile pepper, correct for salt and other seasonings (we often add more cumin) and simmer another 15 minutes or so.
Serve hot with a big dollop of sour cream, more cilantro, grated cheeses, a sprinkle of chopped radish and maybe even a spoon or two of salsa.
Enjoy.
