Saturday, January 26, 2008

Algerian Chili - Crockpot Style



Here is my crockpot version of Algerian Chili which can be found several places on the net - eg.
http://www.cdkitchen.com/recipes/recs/15/Algerian_Chili18936.shtml and others, such as:
http://www.gourmet.gr/recipes/algerian/1/26/5377/Algerian-chili.htm

http://www.vegan-food.net/recipe/1148/Algerian-Chili-Loubia-B-Dersa/

It was recently offered to a group I own on Yahoo! and was immediately popular. Perhaps it was the name 'Chili' attached to an Algerian dish rather than Mexidan, although it is good to remind that 'chili' in both names refers to the spice itself, not to the whole recipe. What it is, of course, is a white bean stew with lots of wonderful flavour and 'heat' - depending on how much of the latter you like.

What I did, apart from omitting oil and salt from the recipe, was to put the whole lot at once into a crockpot, with the exception of half of the herbs (and I used half cilantro and half parsley). The rest I added right near the very end of cooking. I also used canned tomatoes, but that would make little difference, I think - except that next time I'd hold back from putting them in until after the beans had had a chance to become soft LOL - I forgot myself in my hurry, so the beans took forever to cook! Other changes were minor.

Here it is all dished up ready to go on the table with a bowl of couscous. We had started with a salad, so apart from a little fruit to follow this was our main meal.



While the dish does resemble Mexican-style 'Chili', the differences here are sufficient to recommend it be tried by anyone who loves spicy food - although you can adjust that to suit yourself, obviously.

There was far too much for two little people, so I divided it up and froze some. It reheats nicely too! Just add more parsley, cilantro, whatever you have to give it a nice fresh taste ;)



Definitely a winner. We'll be making this again!

11 comments:

Anardana said...

I love new slow-cooker recipes! Thanks for the link.

Anonymous said...

I made this today, and it was delicious on a cold, snowy night. Thank you for posting the photos and recipe links. I didn't have navy beans, so I substituted bolita beans, which were new to me. We loved them; I found them in the Latin foods section of my grocery store, along with pintos, chiles, etc. Great recipe--we'll definitely be having this one again!

Anonymous said...

Thanks for the feedback :) I thought it was kinda special - and easily adaptable to different 'heats' for those who like it milder or hotter. Lovely for you both to write in!

Hugs!

Carrie™ said...

With the wind howling like crazy outside, this looks very inviting. A slow cooker is great in the summer to help keep the heat down in the kitchen, but they were made for winter-type meals. This is the perfect dish for simmering all day. I'm definitely going to try this.
Still praying for Made.

Unknown said...

Hi River,
Just found your blog and I like reading about all your super yummy bean dishes. I'm a bean freak too so I'm looking forward to continue reading your blog! (Is there any food more perfect than a bean? Well, quinoa is pretty awesome, but beans are certainly up there in my list of delicious super nutritious power foods)

Anonymous said...

That looks like a great dish for the cold, cold weather we've been having in Kansas City, MO.

VeganCowGirl said...

The chili looks great! I have been on a bean kick lately and the more recipes to tackle the better.

Check out my recent posts on vegancowgirl...beans for everyone!!!

Great blog.

Lyndsay

River said...

Belated greetings to Alec, The Vegan Blog Tracker and now to missblueberry :)

Thanks for all your kind interest in this blog. I shall probably be posting again very soon!

And of course I shall be looking up your blogs/sites :)

Love and hugs!!!!

River said...

Omigosh, I didn't respond to darling Carrie, to whom I owe so very much - sorry!!! Thanks for your kind thoughts about our dear Made'. She's being a brave little girl - still with us, but we're not sure for how long now. Her problems have become, well, complicated, and she is only here now because we are able to manage her pain at the same time as treat the rest of her medical woes. Another week, when the current course of antibiotics is finished, should tell us more.

For those of you tuning in late to this broadcasted miniseries ('mini' because she is so small tho' her heart is so big), Made' is our ten-yr-old tricoloured beagle girl who has had in the last 10 or 11 months: 'kiwi' gallbladder (with emergency surgery which saved her), multi bouts of gastroenteritis and colitis, two nearly terminal attacks of acute pancreatitis, and now peritonitis. We have a great vet - all kudos to him for saving her life AND her comfort many many times - but he can only do so much. Needless to say, we love her dearly, but cannot condone allowing her to suffer for our own sentimental reasons. *sigh* We shall see.

Carrie™ said...

I sent you an e-mail via the Canadian veg group. Let me know if you don't receive it.

River said...

Thank you, Carrie dear - Yes I have received it and have responded! Huge hugs!!

And now, apologies to ALL for neglecting your blogs, yourselves, and also for not adding to this blog as promised either. It's been nearly two months - good grief!

I can't possibly catch up, but I'll post later today (or tomorrow *sigh*) to send something pretty your way, and I'll get back into the groove here now that the world is looking brighter!

Huge love and multi hugs!