Mushroom Chili

5 from 3 votes

This is a versatile recipe: You can use many types of mushrooms, dried and fresh, dried beans or canned, dried corn, fresh or frozen. You can also play with the types of dried chiles you use. So use this recipe as a guideline, not dogma.

Prep Time35

Cook Time1 30

Total Time2 5

Course: lunch, Main Course

Cuisine: American

Diet: Gluten Free

Servings: servings

Author: Hank Shaw

Ingredients

3 to 6 ounces dried mushrooms (any kind)
4 guajillo chiles, stemmed and seeded
1 cup dried corn (see below if using fresh or thawed)
1 cup dried beans (see below if using canned)
1 pound fresh mushrooms, chopped (any kind)
1 12-ounce bottle or can of dark, malty beer (see below for suggestions)
1 quart crushed tomatoes
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon ground coriander
4 tablespoons lard or oil
1 large yellow onion, chopped
5 cloves garlic, minced
3 roasted green chiles, chopped (canned, thawed or fresh)
Salt and pepper
Hot sauce, cilantro, shredded cheese and sour cream, for garnish

Instructions

Put the dried mushrooms in a bowl and cover them with boiling water. Let this steep for about 15 to 20 minutes while you seed and stem the dried chiles and chop things.
Pour boiling water over the stemmed and seeded dried chiles and let them steep about 15 to 20 minutes, too.
Meanwhile, fill a large soup pot two-thirds up with water. Add the dried corn and bring to a simmer. Simmer this as you do other things. (Dried corn takes a long time to cook.)
When the mushrooms have steeped, remove them, saving the water. Chop them as fine as you want. I like these chopped finely, so they mimic ground meat. Set aside.
Put the rehydrated chiles in a blender. Discard their soaking water. Carefully pour the mushroom soaking water into the blender, making sure there is no dirt or debris getting in there. Strain it if you have to. Puree the chiles in that mushroom water. Set aside.
By this time, add your dried beans to the pot with the corn. Let the two simmer until the beans are mostly done, about 40 minutes. When the beans are close to being done -- tender, a little al dente, but not mushy -- mix in the pureed chiles, the beer, the chopped rehydrated mushrooms, the cumin and coriander, the tomatoes, and some salt.
While this is cooking, get a pan hot and add the lard or oil. Saute the mushrooms and onion together over medium-high heat until both get some browning. This could take 10 minutes or so, because the mushrooms will need to give up their water first. Once that happens, add the minced garlic. Add all this to the pot.
Keep cooking everything for about 20 minutes, then add the chopped, roasted green chiles. Adjust for salt and cook a few minutes more, then serve with the chili garnishes you like.

Notes

This can simmer for hours if you want it to.

If you want it spicier, use hotter dried chiles. I prefer to keep the base chili mellow, then add hot sauce. You do you. Switching ancho chiles for guajillo will darken the chili but add nice flavor. You can use a mix, too.
If you want to add meat, brown it with the fresh mushrooms and onions.
If you are using fresh or thawed corn, and/or canned beans, add them with the green chiles. Be sure to rinse your canned beans.
Really any darker, maltier beer works. And if you can't do beer, just use stock. I used a Negro Modelo, a dark Mexican lager. An English brown ale or a porter is also a good option.
Canned green chiles often come in little cans. If that's all you can find, buy two. The exact amount of green chiles isn't critical. I find that three Anaheims (Hatch) roasted and chopped are good.

Nutrition