Espresso Black Bean Chili

Makes: 6 to 8 servings

Time: 1½ to 2½ hours, largely unattended

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This deep and richly flavored chili has enough caffeine to keep you awake, so bear that in mind when you serve it; use decaffeinated espresso if you or your guests are caffeine sensitive, or save it for lunch. Serve it with rice, a stack of warm tortillas, or tortilla chips, and parsley or cilantro.

Other beans you can use: Earthy-flavored beans that can stand up to the other flavors, like dried pinto, kidney, or soybeans, work best.

• 3 tablespoons good-quality vegetable oil
• 2 onions, chopped
• 2 tablespoons minced garlic
• 3 cups chopped fresh tomatoes (about 1½ pounds whole; canned are fine — don’t bother to drain)
• ½–1 cup freshly brewed espresso, 1–2 cups brewed coffee, or 2 tablespoons espresso powder
• ¼ cup dark brown sugar or 3 tablespoons molasses
• 2 tablespoons chili powder (to make your own, see page 648)
• 1 3-inch cinnamon stick
• 1 pound dried black beans, rinsed and picked over
• Salt and pepper

1. Put the oil in a large saucepan with a tight-fitting lid over medium-high heat. When it’s hot, add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another minute.
2. Stir in the tomatoes, espresso, brown sugar, chili powder, cinnamon, and beans and add water to cover. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat so the liquid bubbles steadily but not violently. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the beans begin to soften, 30 to 40 minutes. Add a good pinch salt and pepper.
3. Continue cooking until the beans are tender, anywhere from another 45 minutes to 1½ hours. Discard the cinnamon stick. Taste and adjust the seasoning, adding more sugar, salt, or pepper, and serve. Or let cool and store, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Smoked-Tea Chili The rich and smoky flavor of Lapsang Souchong — a smoked black tea — is fantastic in this chili with other Chinese flavors: Omit the tomatoes. Add 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger with the garlic in Step 1. Replace the espresso with 5 to 6 cups freshly brewed Lapsang Souchong tea or any smoked black tea; replace the chili powder with red chile flakes to taste and the cinnamon with 1 teaspoon Sichuan peppercorns; and replace the black beans with dried soybeans. Add water to cover the beans if necessary and proceed with the recipe.

Chocolate Chili Closer to a deeply flavored Oaxacan mole: Replace the espresso with ½ cup chopped Mexican chocolate or ¼ cup chopped bittersweet chocolate (if you want to keep this vegan, check the label to make sure the chocolate you’re using doesn’t include milk solids — or lecithin, which can be derived from eggs). Decrease the sugar by half if you’re using Mexican chocolate.