Mexican Black Bean Sausage Chili

So this didn't rate high on our chili list. First, the "sausage" tasted like pork and beef mixed together, not sausage. And since D had to make it in advance, what a pain.

Second it was bland. How can chipotles be bland? They were spicy, but the whole thing was eh.

Mexican Black Bean Sausage Chili

You may need to thin the chili with water if you've made it ahead. Or combine the sausage ingredients in advance, and finish the chili later.

Yield: 6 servings

Sausage:
1 1/2 tablespoons Hungarian sweet paprika
2 tablespoons minced garlic
3 tablespoons dry red wine
2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
2 teaspoons ancho chili powder (used 1tsp chipotle chili powder)
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Dash of kosher salt
3/4 pound lean ground pork
3/4 pound ground turkey breast (used ground sirloin)

Chili:
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups diced onion (about 2 medium)
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon finely minced garlic
2 teaspoons dried oregano
3 canned chipotle chiles in adobo sauce, minced (half-heartedly seeded)
4 (15-ounce) cans black beans, rinsed and drained, divided
3 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth, divided
3 cups water (used less...see next ingredient)
2 (14.5-ounce) cans no salt-added diced tomatoes, drained (did not drain, used less water)
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
1/4 cup very finely chopped cilantro, divided
Low-fat sour cream (optional)
Sliced green onions (optional)

To prepare sausage, combine first 12 ingredients in a large bowl. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

To prepare chili, heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add sausage mixture; cook 7 minutes or until browned, stirring to crumble. Add onion, 1 tablespoon cumin, 1 tablespoon garlic, 2 teaspoons oregano, and chiles; cook 4 minutes or until onion is tender. Place 1 1/2 cups black beans and 1 cup broth in a food processor; process until smooth. Add puréed beans, remaining beans, remaining 2 cups broth, water, and tomatoes to pan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer, partially covered, 45 minutes or until slightly thick. Stir in juice and cilantro. Ladle about 1 3/4 cups chili into each of 6 bowls. Garnish each serving with sour cream and sliced green onions, if desired.

CALORIES 395 (27% from fat); FAT 11g (sat 2.9g,mono 6g,poly 2.1g); IRON 6mg; CHOLESTEROL 78mg; CALCIUM 128mg; CARBOHYDRATE 40.4g; SODIUM 989mg; PROTEIN 35.3g; FIBER 13.7g

Cooking Light, JANUARY 2006