Even if I don't win or get published it's still good grub. I made it for
my kid brother's 78th this past Sunday. Only fair. He and Ms. Vicky are
the donors of my casserole crockpot one fine holiday season.
That sounds like a sweet arrangement.  I mostly cook for myself but once in
a while i am a guest of more than one good cook who considers it a fair
trade that they do the cooking and i do the dishes.  I think it's fair too!
Between Tasty Home and Noo Yawk Times cooking section I may never run
out of recipes.
When it comes to ebooks and recipes the Internet has am embarassment of
riches.  Without the Internet, is there one cookbook you'd want to have
for a reference?  I imagine that a 3-ring binder of "tried & true"
recipes might be the ticket.  I used to treat Deborah Madison's
Vegetarian Cooking For Everyone as my general go-to cookbook.
*  Exported from  MasterCook  *
                        BLACK BEAN CHILI (PRODIGY)
Recipe By     :
Serving Size  : 8    Preparation Time :0:00
Categories    : Vegetarian                       Main Dish
  Amount  Measure       Ingredient -- Preparation Method
--------  ------------  --------------------------------
   2       c            Black turtle beans
   1                    Bay leaf
   4       ts           Cumin seeds
   4       ts           Dried oregano leaves
   4       ts           Paprika
     1/2   ts           Cayenne pepper
   1                    Chile negro or ancho chile,
                        -(for chili powder), OR
   2       tb           -Chili powder, or more
   3       tb           Corn or peanut oil
   3       md           Yellow onions
                        - diced into 1/4-in squares
   4                    Garlic cloves
                        - coarsely chopped
     1/2   ts           Salt
   1 1/2   lb           Ripe or canned tomatoes
                        -peeled, seeded and chopped
                        - juice reserved
   1       tb           Rice wine vinegar (or more)
   4       tb           Cilantro, chopped
                        -----GARNISHES-----
                        Green chiles:
   2                    Poblano or Anaheim,
                        - roasted, peeled & diced
                        - OR
   2       oz           -Canned green chiles,
                        - rinsed well and diced
     1/2   c            Grated Muenster cheese
                        - (or more)
     1/2   c            Creme fraiche or sour cream
   5                    Cilantro sprigs
  SORT THROUGH THE BEANS and remove any small stones.
  Rinse them well, cover them generously with water, and
  let them soak overnight. Next day, drain the beans,
  cover them with fresh water by a couple of inches and
  bring them to a boil with the bay leaf. Lower the heat
  and let the beans simmer while you prepare the rest of
  the ingredients. Heat a small heavy skillet over
  medium heat. Add the cumin seeds, and when they begin
  to color, add the oregano leaves, shaking the pan
  frequently so the herbs don't scorch. As soon as the
  fragrance is strong and robust, remove the pan from
  the heat and add the paprika and the cayenne. Give
  everything a quick stir; then remove from the pan--the
  paprika and the cayenne only need a few seconds to
  toast. Grind in a mortar or a spice mill to make a
  coarse powder. Preheat the oven to 375F. To make the
  chili powder, put the dried chile in the oven for
  3-to-5 minutes to dry it out. Cool it briefly; then
  remove the stem, seeds and veins. Tear the pod into
  small pieces and grind it into a powder in a blender
  or a spice mill. Heat the oil in a large skillet and
  saute the onions over medium heat until they soften.
  Add the garlic, salt and the ground herbs and chili
  powder and cook another 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes
  and their juice. Simmer everything together for 15
  minutes then add this mixture to the beans, and, if
  necessary, enough water so the beans are covered by at
  least 1-inch. Continue cooking the beans slowly until
  they are soft, an hour or longer, or pressure cook
  them for 30 minutes at 15 pounds pressure. Keep an eye
  on the water level and add more, if needed, to keep
  the beans amply covered. When the beans are cooked,
  taste them and season to taste with the vinegar,
  additional salt if needed, and the chopped cilantro.
  Prepare the garnishes. If you are using fresh green
  chiles, roast them over a flame until they are evenly
  charred. Let them steam 10 minutes in a bowl covered
  with a dish; then scrape off the skins, discard the
  seeds, and dice. Serve the chili ladled over a large
  spoonful of grated cheese and garnish it with the
  creme fraiche or sour cream, the green chilies and a
  sprig of fresh cilantro. Though served in a bowl and
  eaten with a spoon, this chili is a great deal thicker
  than most soups--thick enough in fact to be served on
  a plate right alongside fritters or cornbread. It
  also, however, can be thinned considerably with stock,
  water or tomato juice to make a thinner but still very
  flavorful black bean soup. When thinned to make a
  soup, it can be served as part of a meal rather than a
  meal in itself.
  This is one of the best-known recipes from the San
  Francisco restaurant Greens.
  DEBORAH MADISON - PRODIGY GUEST CHEFS COOKBOOK
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--- SBBSecho 3.23-Win32
 * Origin: The Fool's Quarter, fqbbs.synchro.net (1:105/500)