Pointed Red Ramiro Pepper and Black Bean Chilli Bowl

As mentioned in a previous blog post, I made this Red Ramiro Pepper and Black Bean Chilli last weekend when I had my nephews over to help me and D in the garden.  

I picked up some waxy lipstick red Ramiro peppers.  I prefer these elongated ones to the more traditional bell peppers. sometimes I find them tasting water logged.  I cook with the Pointy Ramiro Peppers quite often, but sadly have not featured them much on my blog.  The last time I think was when I started my blog in 2009 and I made a Coconut Rice and Roast Red Pepper Salad; and a Stuffed version with  feta, mint and pine kernels. 

Anyway, this bowl of chilli was proper red.  Red from the Ramiro Peppers, Red from the fresh red chillies; and red from a few dried chilli flakes (and tomatoes!).  

This is not a sponsored blog post

For a change from rice, tortilla wraps -  I decided to serve this vegan Bowl or Red and Black Chilli with cornbread.  I can and do often make my own cornbread - see here beautifully made in my sweetcorn shaped baking pan - but I was tempted by Marks and Spencer's Spirit of Summer Cornbread Mix and had to try.  

Ramiro Red Pepper and Black Bean Chilli 
Serves 4 - 6 as an accompaniment
Ingredients
250g Black Beans, soaked overnight

4 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 medium onions, finely sliced
4 cloves garlic, crushed
1 celery stalk, thinly sliced
2 fresh red chillies, sliced
1 tablespoon ground cumin
2 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon dried chilli flakes
4 Ramiro/Romano or red bell pepper, cored and diced
1 x 400g can of tomatoes, chopped
 Salt and pepper to taste
 Method
In a wide pan, cook beans in water until tender.  Drain and set aside.
In a saucepan, warm the oil on medium heat.  Add the onions and garlic and saute until the onions become soft.  Add the celery and chilli, then cover and cook for about 5 minutes.
Stir in the cumin, oregano, coriander, chilli flakes and season with salt and pepper to taste and cook for a few minutes for it to coat the oniony mixture.  
Then stir in the tomatoes, cook for 10 minutes until they have begun to disintegrate and break down.
Then stir in the red pepper, cover and cook until the peppers begin to soften.  
Stir occasionally to keep the spices from burning.  
Then add in the black beans and cook for 20 minutes.
If it seems a little dry, add a little water. 
Taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary.