Black Bean and Pumpkin Chili (with Cornbread)

This recipe is perfect in fall when pumpkins are in season. But it’s also diverse enough that people who aren’t fans of pumpkin still like it. Photo Source

| Yield: 6 servings, plus extra cornbread | Cook Time: 1 hour 15 minutes, more if using dry beans |

Preparation

Cooks Note: I'll admit, I'm kind of a bean snob. In my opinion, cooking dried beans is approximately 100% percent more delicious than having them out of a can (also cheaper!), so I use dried beans in my croc pot and cook them all day while I'm at work. I use: 3 cups dried beans covered in two inches of water, two tablespoons salt, a splash of white vinegar and a splash of lemon or any other citrus juice. If you don’t have a croc pot but want to cook dried beans, soaking (the longer the better) will reduce the cooking time. If you soak overnight make sure to put them in the fridge! To cook: bring everything to a boil and reduce to a simmer, simmer until they’re cooked all the way through. There are a lot of opinions about lids, but I usually simmer with the lid off until they’re close to being done (outside is soft but inside still hard) and then put the lid on for the last 15 minutes or so.

If you’re cooking beans on the stove get them going while you do everything else.

Chop up the pumpkin. Scoop out the seeds (you can save them for roasting!) and stringy stuff, chop the rest into about 1 square inch pieces, bigger is ok but smaller not so great. Add to your baking dish.

Chop onion(s)- if they’re as big as your fist or bigger halve them and then chop the halves into three pieces. If they’re smaller chop them into quarters. If they’re really small leave them whole or chop them into halves. Add half to your baking dish.

Cut garlic cloves in half. Add half the cloves to the baking dish.

Sprinkle your baking dish mixture with salt, cumin, and chili flakes. Cover in 1 teaspoon olive oil. All the veggies should be covered in the oil. Add the sprigs of fresh herbs if using, like thyme or rosemary.

Bake the pumpkin mixture at between 350 and 400 degrees, depending on your oven. The pumpkin shouldn’t be browning so if it is turn the temperature down.

Dice your spicy peppers and cut your non-spicy peppers into strips.

Take a break while your veggies bake and your beans cook. If you’re making cornbread now is a good time to mix the ingredients in their separate bowls, but don’t mix them together yet!

Toss the pumpkin mixture 2 or 3 times. Your pumpkin will be ready when you can stab a piece with a fork, but the inside isn’t soft yet. Keep in mind it will get a bit squishier when mixed with the rest of the ingredients.

When the pumpkin mixture is tender but not fully cooked, put a big pot on the stove. Turn it up to medium high heat and wait until it’s hot – a drop of water should sizzle when you drop it in.

If you’re making corn bread put your cast iron with the oil in it in the oven.

Add 2 tbsp high heat oil. Add the other half of your onions and wait until they turn translucent but don’t burn. If they’re turning brown your heat is too high.

When the onions are translucent add the peppers (spicy and regular). Cook until they soften.

Take your cornbread cast iron out of the oven, mix the two bowls of ingredients together and pour into the skillet. Put back in the oven.

Add everything from your baking dish along with the rest of the garlic. Increase the heat a bit.

Cook for 10 minutes, then add your beans and your corn, and 1 cup of the bean cooking liquid or water. It shouldn’t be a soup but there should be enough liquid that you can bring it to a simmer.

Simmer for another 15 minutes with the top on, or until the pumpkin is very easily pierced with a fork and completely soft on the inside. Don’t forget to taste it while it’s cooking to make sure you have the salt and spice levels right.

Your cornbread should be done around the same time it’s ready. You’ll see cracks form on the top – pierce with a fork and see if it comes out clean.

Ingredients

1 tsp olive oil

2 tbsp high heat oil (coconut or avocado)

1 medium onion, or 2 to 3 small ones, diced

1 orange bell pepper, diced

1 yellow bell pepper, diced

2 jalapeños, diced

1 small pumpkin, chopped into 1 inch cubes

3 cloves garlic, minced

3 (15 ounce) can, or 3 cups dried black beans, drained and rinsed

1 (15 ounce) can sweet corn

1 (15 ounce) can petite tomatoes, with the liquid mostly drained off