Creamy Wine & Ancho Chili Anasazi Beans

I admittedly am a ‘Bean Queen’…growing up in the hollers of West Virginia, pinto beans were a staple in our diet several times a week.  They were cheap.  They were healthy.  The went a long way and fed four hungry children’s mouths.  Now, as an adult, I continue to adore beans and have discovered that there’s a whole world of beans out there.  One of my favorites is the…. …anasazi bean!  One big plus of this bean is that it gives you less gas…good, huh…Creamy Wine & Ancho Chili Anasazi Beans !    Here’s some other things about the anasazi bean:

1.  It’s a boutique bean.

2.  It’s also known as the Aztec bean.

3.  Anasazi means ‘ancient one’ in Navajo.

4.  It has a sweet full flavor and cooks faster than its cousin, the pinto bean.

What your need:

16 oz (2 cups) dried anazazi beans

1 pint Pelligrino or Perrier water

1 ham hock (or season with several slices of bacon)

1 cup red wine

32 oz chicken broth

(Note:  Water as needed as beans cook.)

1 tsp sea salt

1 tsp coarse ground pepper

1 tsp minced garlic

½ tsp ground ancho chili powder

½ tsp Hugarian sweet paprika

½ tsp red chili pepper flakes

1 cup sour cream

½ cup sliced green onions/tops

1 ½  cup cherry tomatoes (sliced lengthwise in half)

What you do:

In medium size pot, add rinsed and washed dry beans, ham hock and Pelligrino water.  It will bubble and sizzle when you pour it in.  Bring to boil, cover and let cook at low boil about 25-30 minutes.  Check occasionally for liquid if needed.  If so, add some of the chicken broth.  After about 30 minutes, add wine, salt, pepper, garlic, ancho chili powder, paprika and red chili flakes and let simmer (covered with lid) adding chicken broth (or water as needed) another 75-90 minutes as it cooks down.  (Note:  You want enough liquid to cover the beans about 1 inch). Check occasionally for needed liquid and to stir.  Continue to add more chicken broth until all gone.  Then start using water.  Beans will be tender by now.

Increase heat to medium and add sour cream blending well.  Cover and bring to low simmer boil for about 20-30 minutes checking occasionally for liquid and to stir.  Beans broth will thicken slightly.  Note:  If you want a thicken broth, use 1 tbl cornstarch with ¼ cup water, blend well, and drizzle into beans.

About 15 minutes prior to serving,  add cherry tomatoes and green onions/tops.  Let the tomatoes and onions just simmer in beans.  You want them to stay bright colored and not get mushy.

©2012 Alice D’Antoni Phillips