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Steve Smith

Beans And Greens Soup by Chili Smith

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Ingredients:

  • 1 pound pinto beans, sorted, washed and soaked in water for 12 hours (We recommend our Eye Of the Goat)
  • 3 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
  • 1 large onion, peeled and chopped
  • 1 1/2 tsp cumin seed
  • 1 tsp red pepper flakes
  • 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
  • 2 tsp liquid smoke flavoring (optional)
  • 4 cup finely chopped kale, chard, collards or mustard greens, cooked
  • 2 tbs olive oil
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 – 1 1/2 tbs cider vinegar
  • pepper, to taste
  • 2 cup diced fresh tomato
  • 1/2 cup low-fat plain yogurt or sour cream (Can use a vegan Sour cream)

Preparation:

Drain soaked beans and place in a heavy, deep, non-aluminum pan. Add garlic, onion, cumin seed, red pepper flakes and enough water to cover by 2”. Bring to a boil and lower to simmer and cook, covered, about 1 – 1 ½ hours. Add more water as needed. Stir often and cook until beans are tender.

Using about half the bean mixture, carefully purée in blender. Return to pot with other beans. Add cilantro and smoke flavoring. Continue to cook for 10 – 15 minutes, covered. If necessary, add water or chicken broth or veggie broth to thin soup. Cook greens as directed on package. Toss greens with olive oil and stir into soup with salt and vinegar to taste. To serve, season with ground pepper. Spoon hot soup into bowls and top with ½ c. chopped tomatoes and a tablespoon of yogurt or sour cream.

Serves 8: (1 ½ c. servings)

Prep time: 2 hours

Per serving: cal 279, fat 5 g, sat fat 1 g, % cal from fat 16%, pro 15 g, carbo 46 f, chol 0, fiber 16.5 g, sod. 340 mg

New York Times Heirloom Bean Ragout

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Ingredients:

  • 1 to 1 ¼ pounds fresh shell beans, such as Sunset Runner or Runner Cannellini runner beans, shelled (about 1 3/4 to 2 cups, shelled)
  • 1/2 onion
  • 3 plump garlic cloves; 1 crushed, 2 minced
  • Bouquet garni made with a few sprigs parsley and thyme, Parmesan rind and a bay leaf, wrapped in a leek leaf and tied with twine
  • Salt
  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 large leeks, white and light green parts only, halved and cut in 1/2-inch slices
  • 1 celery stalk, chopped
  • 1 cup peeled, seeded and chopped tomatoes (about 3/4 pound)
  • Ground black pepper
  • 1 good-size pattypan squash or other summer squash, quartered and sliced
  • 1/4 inch thick (about 2 cups)
  • Slivered fresh basil leaves for garnish
  • Freshly grated Parmesan for garnish

Preparation:

In a heavy soup pot or Dutch oven, combine the beans, onion, crushed garlic clove, bouquet garni and 4 cups water. Bring to a boil. Add salt to taste, reduce heat, cover and simmer 30 minutes. Remove and discard onion and garlic clove.

Meanwhile, heat olive oil over medium heat in a medium skillet and add leeks and celery. Cook, stirring, until they begin to soften, about 3 minutes, and stir in minced garlic. Cook, stirring, until fragrant, 30 seconds to a minute, and add tomatoes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring often, until tomatoes have cooked down slightly, about 10 minutes.

Stir leek and tomato mixture into beans, along with summer squash. Bring back to a simmer and cook 15 minutes, until beans are creamy-tender but intact and the vegetables are soft and fragrant. Taste and adjust seasonings. Remove bouquet garni.

Ladle ragout into wide bowls. Top each serving with a generous sprinkling of slivered basil leaves and a spoonful of Parmesan.

Sunset Runner Bean and Merguez Stew Recipe from Sunset

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Ingredients:

  • 1 large onion, chopped
  • 3 tbsp. olive oil, divided
  • 1 good-sized jalapeño chile, chopped
  • 2 cups total chopped yellow and red bell peppers
  • 5 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 cups Scarlet Runner beans, soaked overnight in cool water
  • 6 cups chicken broth (or veggie broth)
  • 12 oz. Merguez sausage (note, this dish can be made vegetarian by leaving the sausage out and adding ½ tsp. to 1 tsp. of smoked paprika for flavor)
  • 2 cups coarsely chopped tomatoes
  • Kosher salt and pepper
  • Chopped flat-leaf parsley

Preparation:

In a pot, sauté onion, 2 tbsp. oil, chile, and peppers until softened. Add garlic and cook a couple minutes more. Spoon out half of this mixture and save it.

Drain beans and add to pot with broth. Simmer, covered, until tender, about 1 1/2 hours (this time depends a bit on how dry the beans are).

Cut sausages into chunks and brown them in a frying pan in the remaining oil. Stir in tomatoes and reserved pepper mixture and cook, stirring, to deglaze the pan. Scrape all this into the bean pot.

Simmer beans uncovered until flavors are blended, about 15 minutes. Ladle out some liquid if you’d like a thicker stew. Season the stew to taste with salt, pepper, and parsley.

Serves: 6

What is the difference between a Heirloom and Heritage beans?

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The terms “heirloom seed” and “heritage seed” are used interchangeably. An heirloom plant is an open-pollinated cultivar that was commonly grown during earlier periods in human history, but which is not used in modern large-scale agriculture.

These beans are not genetically altered and therefore are not as easy to plant, grow, harvest, clean and separate and are best used within two years of harvesting. They do not all look the same – they are not all exactly the same size or color – but, like us, the beauty is really on the inside! The flavor of these beans is just better! Filled with energy and high nutrition and protein these are a great source of vitality and good health. Heritage beans will have up to three times the fiber content of commercially grown beans. this is one of the reasons they were so popular when fresh vegetables and fruits were difficult to obtain. We call them “nature’s broom!”

Don’t worry about the gas factor! We teach you how to properly prepare the beans without the ‘gas-effect’ and still have wonderful rich and satisfiying flavor.

Bean History

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BEAN HISTORY

 

National Bean Day, was January 6th, a time to celebrate beans in all their sizes, shapes, and colors.  Chili Smith is celebrating beans all the time – and especially in January! Green, red, black, lima, and soy are just a few examples of the types of beans we can salute on this special day. Approximately 40,000 bean varieties exist in the world!


The versatile bean can also be prepared in thousands of different ways—including main dishes, sauces, condiments, and even desserts! National Bean Day is celebrated every year on January 6th in honor of Gregor Mendel (who died on January 6, 1884). Mendel was an Austrian monk who discovered the principles of heredity by studying bean and pea plants in his garden. A pioneer in his field, Mendel is considered to be the father of modern genetics. 

THE HISTORY OF THE BEAN
Humans have been eating beans for a long time. In fact, archaeological evidence suggests that beans have been a staple food across cultures and continents for thousands of years.Studies show that beans were eaten in Thailand over 9000 years ago, and around the same time fava beans were being gathered in Afghanistan in the foothills of the Himalayas. 

Beans were also prominent in ancient Egypt where they were left in the tombs of ancient Egyptian kings as a symbolic way to feed the departed souls in the afterlife. The first cultivated bean (a large-seeded broad bean) appeared 4000 years ago in Europe, and archeologists have also found evidence of the existence of beans in Peru around the same time.

Beans played an important role in the history of the New World too. When colonists arrived in North America, the Native Americans showed them how to grow beans with corn so that the bean plants would grow tall by climbing on the cornstalks.


THE HEALTHFUL BEAN
An extremely healthful choice for a meal or a snack, beans are an important source of protein, fiber, folate, zinc, iron, and magnesium. Antioxidant-rich beans are also low in fat and high in intact carbohydrates. They are a member of the Fab Four—the four categories of foods you should include in your diet daily.

A study in the Journal of American College of Nutrition found that people who consumed beans regularly had a 22 percent lower risk of obesity and were more likely to have a smaller waist than people who did not eat beans.

Aside from promoting heart health, controlling weight and increasing longevity, eating beans may also lower blood cholesterol, reduce inflammation, help prevent cancer, stabilize blood glucose levels and prevent diabetes, and improve gut health.

Chili Smith Farm Style by Chili Smith

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Ingredients:

  • 1 pound of Heirloom Beans – Dried weight – makes almost 3 pounds cooked
  • 6 Strips Bacon – diced very fine
  • 1 Onion – Diced fine – in two halves
  • 1 pound Ground Beef or other meat
  • 1 can (15oz) Tomato Sauce 2 TBL Chili Smith Seasoning

Method:

Beans: In pot

  1. Rinse and soak in clear water for 12 hours or so until rehydrated.
  2. Change water and cover to one inch above beans in clear, cool water and simmer for about an hour until tender.
  3. Add Salt and ½ onions to water prior to cooking.

Base: In large skillet

  1. Sauté Bacon until almost browned.
  2. Add onion and sauté until clear Add small chucks of meat and sauté until browned.
  3. Add Tomato Sauce and blend Cover and allow simmering for 20 minutes.
  4. Add Seasoning and mix into base.
  5. Cover and allow simmering for 10 minutes.

Blend: Bring beans without juice to base 

  • Mix beans into base and blend together.
  • Add Bean Broth if needed Simmer for an hour and enjoy!

Tip:

Cook in advance and refrigerate for a day for extra flavor.

Plant-based Cream of Asparagus Soup ala Twyla

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Cream of Asparagus Soup

Ingredients: 

  • 1 yellow onion, thinly sliced
  • 3-4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 pounds asparagus, ends trimmed and chopped
  • 2 cups Flageolet beans (cooked)
  • 6 cups vegetable broth
  • Juice of one lime or to taste
  • salt and pepper, to taste or no salt seasoning

Twyla’s recipe for cream of asparagus soup offers a delightful and nourishing experience, perfect for those seeking a plant-based option. This soup is crafted with fresh asparagus, which is sautéed to enhance its natural flavors, and combined with a blend of aromatic ingredients such as onions and garlic. The mixture is then simmered in vegetable broth, allowing the flavors to meld beautifully. To achieve a creamy texture without the use of dairy, the recipe incorporates a plant-based cream, which adds richness and depth to the dish. Finally, the soup is pureed to create a smooth consistency, making it an elegant choice for any meal. This recipe not only highlights the vibrant taste of asparagus but also embodies a wholesome approach to plant-based cooking.

Directions:

  1. Use water or broth to sauté onions and garlic and cook until onions are translucent about 7 minutes.
  2. Add asparagus, beans and vegetable broth. (See other add variations). Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Simmer for about 10 minutes, until asparagus is tender.
  3. Transfer soup to a blender (this may have to be done in batches) and blend until smooth. Or use an immersion blender for desired consistency.
  4. Return to heat and stir in lime juice, salt, and pepper.
  5. Various toppings:  parsley, ground flax/chia seeds, Mary’s crackers, Flaxers, GF croutons, pumpkin seeds, riced cauliflower, non-dairy sour cream

Variations:  ADD during the peas/potatoes/rice/broccoli/cauliflower

Cream of Asparagus Soup is delicious on baked potatoes, served over rice, served in a bread bowl, etc.  

Autumn Vegetable Succotash by Chili Smith

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Ingredients:

  • ½ cup unsalted butter (for a vegan recipe, use Earth Balance)
  • 1 medium onion, cut into 1/4-inch dice
  • 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
  • 2 red bell peppers, cut into ¼-inch dice
  • 2 zucchini, cut into ¼-inch dice 2 yellow summer squash, cut into ¼- inch dice 1 cup Chili Smith Christmas Lima (pre-cooked) 1 cup fresh or frozen corn kernels
  • Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
  • 2 tablespoons fresh sage, coarsely chopped

Directions:

In a skillet over medium-high heat, melt butter. Add onion, cook until translucent, about 2 minutes. Add garlic, bell peppers, zucchini, squash, Lima beans, and corn. Season with salt and black pepper; cook, stirring, until vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes. Stir in Sage, and serve.

One question that always is askeda| Has your chili won any awards at Chili Cook-off Contests?

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Actually, we have never competed in a contest! We think the contests look like a lot of fun to attend and have some fun, but here is the deal.

We make chili for people to eat! It is cooked longer and rested under refrigeration for the flavors to blend and become better. Competition chili is made for a quick taste by several judges as it is similar to wines as some great wines are wonderful for fragrance and palette tasting as but not necessarily as a drink you would serve with a meal.

We make a chili without beans, but we really like what our heritage beans do for the eating experience and we really like the fact that it is good for us to eat that delicious source of protein and fiber. The CASI competition chili as or bid the use of beans. What are they thinking??? Just kidding! We appreciate the Texas and Oklahoma style chili and we make some that are similar.

We like to think the customers we serve are a bit like a competition. In that arena, we do very well because our chili is loved and reordered by everyone as and especially the children! We do love to sample our products to lots of people as to just judges as to see what they think.