Black Bean and Beef Chili with Cilantro, Lime, and Avocado Salsa

Ingredients

• 2 cans black beans
• 1 T olive oil
• 1 lb. very lean ground beef
• 1 cup very finely diced red onion
• 1 T or more regular chile powder
• 1 T or more ground Ancho chile pepper
• About 1/4 tsp. ground Chipotle chile pepper
• 2 tsp. ground cumin, or more
• 2 cups homemade beef stock or 1 can beef broth
• 2 T tomato paste
• 1/4 cup fresh-squeezed lime juice
• 1 can black beans
• 1 can diced tomatoes
• Pinch ground Chipotle chile pepper
• 1 cup finely diced red onion, or less
• 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
• 1 bunch cilantro, chopped
• 2 avocados, finely diced
• Salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste

Directions

1. Pour 2 cans black beans into a colander, rinse them thoroughly, and stop when the foamy liquid is gone. Set them aside to drain. In a food processor, combine the third can of beans with its liquid, the diced tomatoes with their liquid, and the pinch of Chipotle chile or diced Chipotle chile pepper. Puree for about 2 minutes, until the mixture is mostly smooth.
2. Warm 1-2 tsp. olive oil in the bottom of a heavy soup pot. Add the beef and cook it until browned, pressing it with the back of a turner so it breaks into small bits.
3. Transfer the beef to a bowl. Add a little more olive oil to the pot, then stir in 1 cup red onion. Turn the heat down slightly and cook until the onion has softened without browning. Stir in all the chile powders and the cumin, and cook for about 30 seconds.
4. Add the beef stock, browned beef, pureed bean mixture, drained beans from the colander, and tomato paste. Simmer the chili, uncovered, for 30 minutes or longer. If you want a deeper, slower simmer, very low heat for nearly two hours works too. About halfway through the simmering time, taste and decide whether you want more chile powder.
5. While the chili cooks, dice the avocados and put them in a plastic bowl with 1/4 cup fresh lime juice.
6. Rinse the cilantro and chop it finely. Stir 1 cup red onion and half of the chopped cilantro, about 3/4 cup, into the avocado and lime mixture. You can refrigerate this while the chili continues cooking, but toss the avocado with the lime juice as soon as it is cut so it does not brown.
7. Right before serving, add the remaining 3/4 cup chopped cilantro and 1/4 cup lime juice to the chili, then cook for about 5 minutes. Taste, and add salt and black pepper if you want them.
8. Ladle the hot chili into bowls and top each serving with a generous spoonful of avocado salsa.
9. For a Crockpot version, use only 1 or 1 1/2 cups beef stock, depending on whether you want the chili thicker or looser.
10. Add an extra tsp. of both regular chile powder and ancho chile powder. Leave the chipotle amount as is, and use hot sauce at the table if you want more heat.
11. Cook on high for 3-4 hours, or set the Crockpot to low for 7-8 hours, adjusting for how strongly your Crockpot heats. After adding the lime juice and cilantro, switch the heat setting to low.