Black Bean Chili (Vegan, GF)

My tomatoes finally ripened...all at once.  Not really, but it sure felt like it.  I oven-dried some of them, made the sweet and sour sauce with others, and put fresh ones in a lot of salads.  They were quite juicy and fantastic.  This is the first time gardening that I understood the value of a pressure canner.  If I find one at a garage sale, maybe.  The last pile of tomatoes was staring at me, and I decided to put them in chili.

My poor black bean burgers.  This is the second month in a row I've put them on the meal plan, only to make something else that day.  Perhaps I should meal-prep and freeze them, like I did the meatballs.  Once there's a bit more room in the freezer.

Some of the seasoning amounts in this recipe may be off.  I had the worst non-Covid head cold I've had in years and couldn't taste a whole lot.  I was erring on the side of not enough, so you might prefer to increase amounts.  If I make it again when I'm well, I'll update the recipe.

1 15 oz can black beans, rinsed
1 15 oz can diced tomatoes, or *1-1/2 lb fresh
1/2 onion, diced
1 Tb olive oil
1 C vegetable broth
*2 Tb tomato paste
*2 cloves garlic
*1/2 tsp fenugreek or 1 tsp sugar
*1/2 tsp cumin seed
1 Tb chili powder
Salt to taste
garnishes such as avocado, lime, cilantro, shredded cheese, sour cream, etc

1.  Heat oil in a 2 qt saucepan over medium and cook onion until it softens, about 5 minutes.  Add garlic and tomatoes.  If desired, pan-toast fenugreek and cumin seed before adding to the pot.  Add in chili powder, tomato paste, and a generous pinch of salt.  Bring to a low boil and cook on low.  If you're starting with fresh tomatoes, a really weird salsa is going to turn into a beautiful, chunky sauce in 20 minutes.

2.  Stir in beans.  Add broth for desired consistency.  For a thickened texture, mash or purée a cup of the chili, then stir it into the pot.  Taste and adjust seasonings.  Bring back up to a simmer for 10 minutes, then portion into bowls with plenty of garnishes and a side of corn tortilla chips.  Yes, I had it with a bagel.  I was sick, from a cold I got at the dentist while having some work done.  Give me a break.

Difficulty rating  π