This black and white bean chili makes the most of leftovers

A nn M Aloney

THE WASHINGTON POST

What are the benefits of cooking at home on a regular basis? We all know that you can save money if you shop thoughtfully and have better control over what goes into your food. But the reason I am most grateful that I got comfortable in the kitchen at an early age is that it has provided me with the security of knowing I can feed myself in a thrifty, tasty way.

That’s because one of the side benefits of cooking regularly is that you get more at ease with making food on the fly. After preparing recipe after recipe, you can look in the pantry, scan the refrigerator and see that this plus this plus this could equal something mighty good.

That’s how this Black and White Bean Chicken Chili was born.

I first made it when I had chili on the brain. I’d read through many of the recipes in actor Brian Baumgartner’s “Seriously Good Chili Cookbook” and talked with the actor made famous by the sitcom, “The Office,” before writing about and testing his “Chili” and another recipe in the book, “Chili Pasta Casserole.”

A couple of weeks later, I roasted a chicken, which we enjoyed, but the next day I won- dered what I could make with the leftovers that would make the chicken seem like a whole other dish. In the pantry, I spied cannellini and black beans.

From reading so many chili recipes, I knew I could get good flavor from a blend of smoked paprika, ground cumin and chili powder, which I had on hand. With the leftover chicken, an onion, some garlic and pickled jalapeños, I had this hot bowl of chili on the table in about 40 minutes.

We ate it with what we had on hand: pickled jalapeños on top and a few charred corn tortillas. It was a thrifty and nourishing meal that was also satisfying and delicious. To create this recipe, I remade it, measuring each ingredient and subbing the pickled jalapeños for fresh. I also gussied it up a bit more by topping it with fresh avocado slices, cilantro leaves, pico de gallo and crunchy corn chips.

I decided it was a keeper, and so I’m sharing it with you.

If you’ve ever learned to knit a sweater, play an instrument or mastered a sport, you’ve already experienced what it’s like to go from stumbling and apprehensive to confident and at ease with a new skill. It’s that way with cooking. I still have a lot to learn and I can always get better, but it has become almost second nature to me.

Black And White Bean Chicken Chili

40 minutes

4 servings

To make this dish vegan, switch to vegetable broth and substitute pressed, cubed tofu for the chicken. Or, simply add more beans in place of the chicken. If using beans cooked at home, use a total of 3 cups of beans. Storage: Refrigerate for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 3 months.

Notes: Don’t have any leftover chicken? To poach the chicken in a multicooker, add ½ cup of lightly salted chicken broth or water, a couple of bay leaves, if you like, and the chicken. Lock the lid in place, set the pressure release knob to sealing, select PRESSURE at the high setting, and set the cook time to 15 minutes.

Once the cooking cycle is finished, press CANCEL and release the pressure manually by moving the pressure-release handle to venting, covering your hand with a towel or oven mitt. Never put your hands or face near the vent when releasing steam. The temperature of the meat should read at least 165 degrees when checked with a thermometer in the thickest part of the chicken.

To poach the chicken on the stovetop, cut the chicken parts in half or thirds crosswise, depending on how large the pieces are. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, add the chicken, 1 cup lightly salted water and a couple of bay leaves, if desired. Stir once or twice and slowly bring to barely a simmer – do not let the water come to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low, partially cover and gently cook for about 15 minutes, or until an instant-read thermometer reads 165 degrees when inserted into the thickest part of the chicken.

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 large white or yellow onion (12 ounces), chopped

2 jalapeños, stemmed, seeded and chopped

2 large cloves garlic, chopped

1 ½ teaspoons smoked paprika

1 teaspoon ground cumin

½ teaspoon chili powder

¼ teaspoon fine salt, plus more as needed

2 cups no-salt-added chicken broth, plus more as needed

One (15-ounce) can no-saltadded white cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

1 pound boneless chicken breasts or thighs, cooked and shredded (see NOTES)

One (15-ounce) can no-saltadded black beans, drained and rinsed

Avocado slices, pico de gallo or salsa, fresh or pickled jalapeño slices, fresh cilantro, and/or tortilla chips, for serving (optional)

In a medium pot over mediumhigh heat, heat the olive oil until it shimmers. Add the onions and cook, stirring frequently, until they are translucent and starting to brown, about 5 minutes. Add the jalapeños and cook, stirring, until softened, another 2 minutes, then add the garlic and stir until fragrant, about 1 more minute.

Add the paprika, cumin, chili powder and salt, stir to combine, and cook for 1 more minute. Don’t be concerned if the vegetables start to stick a bit, but adjust the heat if they begin to burn.

Add the broth and stir, scraping up any brown bits. Add half of the white beans, stir and bring to a simmer, so that there are bubbles around the edge of the pot. Cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the mixture thickens, about 5 minutes.

Use an immersion (stick) blender to puree the mixture until smooth.

(You also can puree the mixture in a heatproof blender: To prevent splatters, be careful to not fill it more than halfway, remove the center ring from the lid, and hold a kitchen towel over the opening as you blend.)

Return the pot to medium heat, add the chicken and the remaining white beans and the black beans, and stir to combine. Simmer for about 3 minutes; then taste, adding more salt to taste and more broth to thin if desired.

Ladle the chili into bowls and serve hot with your choice of toppings, such as avocado slices, pico de gallo or salsa, fresh or pickled jalapeño slices, fresh cilantro leaves, and/or tortilla chips.

Nutrition information per serving (1 ½ cups): Calories: 407;

Total Fat: 15 g; Saturated Fat: 3 g; Cholesterol: 74 mg; Sodium: 715 mg; Carbohydrates: 34 g;

Dietary Fiber: 10 g; Sugar: 4 g;

Protein: 34 g

This analysis is an estimate based on available ingredients and this preparation. It should not substitute for a dietitian’s or nutritionist’s advice.

Hooked on salmon, fried rice and veggies stir fry

It’s Lent. Which means many are going to be eating a lot of fish, thanks to Friday night fish fries.

If you’d rather avoid the crowds and prepare seafood at home, consider a quick and easy stir fry.

Simple and satisfying, this colorful rice dish stars salmon, a heart-healthy fish you don’t often find at church fish fires. It includes lots of fresh, crunchy veggies to make it more healthful.

One reason this dish works so well, besides being dairyand gluten-free, is because it’s customizable: If you don’t like salmon, substitute

1 pound peeled and deveined medium shrimp. The same with the veggies – use whatever’s languishing in your crisper – and garlic, which some (me) can’t get enough of and others steer clear of to avoid heartburn and bad breath.

Don’t worry about using day-old rice.

It actually crisps up better than freshly made rice because the dry grains remain separate and absorb more seasoning. I made the dish with brown rice since it’s more nutritious, and removed the skin from the fish.

SALMON FRIED RICE

1 pound skinless salmon, cut into bite-sized chunks

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

4 tablespoons grapeseed or canola oil, divided

2 large eggs, whisked

½ cup thinly sliced green onion

2 medium carrots, finely chopped (about ½ cup)

1 cup broccoli florets, cut into small pieces

½ red bell pepper, cut into small pieces

1 or 2 garlic cloves, minced

2 cups cold cooked white or brown rice

Toasted sesame seeds or Everything Bagel seasoning, for garnish

Handful of chopped cilantro, for garnish Pickled ginger, for serving Gluten-free soy sauce or tamari, for serving

If salmon is refrigerated, remove it from fridge 15 minutes prior to cooking. Season with salt and pepper.

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a wok or deep saute pan over mediumhigh heat. When oil is hot, add cubed salmon and let it brown on opposite sides until opaque or flaky, 4-5 minutes. Don’t overcrowd the pan; you may need to cook fish in batches.

When salmon is done, transfer to a plate. Remove pan from heat and wipe out with a paper towel, removing any burnt bits.

Place the pan back over medium-high heat and add 2 tablespoons of remaining oil. When fish is hot, stir in eggs. When eggs are finished cooking, about 1 minute, transfer to a plate.

Keeping the pan over medium or medium-high heat, add green onion, carrots, snow peas and red pepper, and cook for about 1 minute, until vegetables are crisp-tender. Add garlic and stirfry another 30 seconds, until fragrant.

Add 1 tablespoon of oil to pan and then the cooked rice, stirring constantly to combine the veggies and garlic with the rice.

When rice is hot, add eggs back to pan and break them up with a spatula to combine with the rice. Remove the pan from heat, and gently fold in the salmon. Transfer fried rice to a platter or individual plates and garnish with toasted sesame seeds and chopped cilantro. Serve with pickled ginger and tamari or soy sauce.

Serves 3 to 4.

Adapted from “For the Love of Seafood: 100 Flawless, Flavorful Recipes That Anyone Can Cook” by Karista Bennett (Countryman Press, $35)