North African 15 Bean Chili Recipes

NORTH AFRICAN BEAN AND SQUASH SOUP

Steps:

• Drain the soaked chick peas and set aside. Tie half the cilantro sprigs into a bundle with the dried red chili, and chop the rest. Set aside the chopped cilantro.
• Heat the oil in a large bean pot or Dutch oven over medium heat and add the onions and carrots. Cook, stirring, until tender, about 5 minutes, and add 1/2 teaspoon salt, the garlic, paprika, and turmeric. Stir together for about a minute, until fragrant, and add the tomatoes, and their juice. Cook, stirring often, for 10 minutes, until the tomatoes have cooked down somewhat and the mixture is fragrant. Add the beans and water and bring to a boil. Add the cilantro bundle, reduce the heat, cover and simmer 1 hour. Add the squash, a generous amount of salt, and the harissa or cayenne, and continue to simmer for another hour. Taste and adjust salt. Add the vermicelli and simmer until tender, about 5 minutes. Remove the cilantro bundle. Stir in the remaining cilantro and the mint, adjust salt and serve. Garnish with lemon wedges.

NORTH AFRICAN BEEF-AND-CARROT STEW WITH MINT

Steps:

• Season sirloin with salt and pepper. Heat a large, wide shallow pan over medium-high heat. Swirl in 1 tablespoon oil, add steak in a single layer, and cook, turning a few times, until browned and medium-rare, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
• Add remaining 1 tablespoon oil to pan and cook vegetables, stirring occasionally, until onion is golden in places, about 5 minutes. Stir in tomato paste and cook 1 minute. Add spices and cook until fragrant, 15 seconds. Add broth; bring to a simmer. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer until carrots are crisp-tender, about 10 minutes. Return sirloin and any accumulated juices to pan; cook until warmed through, about 1 minute. Remove from heat. Season with salt and pepper; sprinkle with mint. Serve over couscous.

NORTH AFRICAN 15 BEAN CHILI

Steps:

• Rinse and sort through beans. In a 3.5- or 4-quart pan, bring water (with baking soda)to a boil over high heat. Add beans. Let water return to a boil then boil, uncovered, for 2 minutes. Remove pan from heat, cover, and let stand for 1 hour. Drain and rinse beans, discarding cooking water. While beans are standing, pan fry beef and sausage to remove fat. In a 4-quart or larger electric slow cooker, combine onion, garlic, red pepper, allspice, cumin, coriander, oregano, baking soda, and chilies. Crumble in beef and pork sausage; mix to coat with seasonings. Stir in beans; pour in broth. Cover; cook at LOW setting until beans are very tender to bite (8.5 to 10 hours). Increase cooker heat setting to HIGH and stir in olives and tomatoes. Cover and cook until chili is very hot (over 30 minutes). Skim and discard fat from chili, if necessary. Season to taste with salt.