Friday night. Elsa is sleeping. Finally time to write that post we prepared earlier this week. I’ve been looking forward to share this recipe, as I am pretty certain that many of you will like it. This bean chili (or chili sin carne, as David calls it) is not only warm, comforting and spicy. It also has the most wonderful flavor from dark chocolate, coffee, red wine and crunchy walnuts. I seriously can’t think of a more perfect recipe to embrace autumn with.

I am dedicating this recipe to my brand new bike. Or to be more exact, to my brand new bike that got stolen three days ago. Aaaargh!!! I got to play with you for exactly 28 days. Thanks a lot.

And while I am on that subject. Let me tell you a short story about something stupid (but actually quite funny, a few days later): Remember that we were going to attend a wedding in Copenhagen. We had bought a really nice juice machine as a wedding gift. Elsa and I travelled ahead, so David was supposed to bring it with him when he flew down from Stockholm. He is a pretty distracted guy, so I emailed, called and texted him to make sure he wouldn’t forget it. As he arrived in Denmark he had actually remembered it! We met up at this restaurant (which was good, btw), and – my oh my – he also remembered to bring it with him as we left from there. When we arrived at the apartment he still carried the juice machine with him. I was wildly impressed by how he had been carrying a rather big and heavy juice machine with him that whole day. At the day of the wedding I asked him where he had put the wedding gift. He looked at me. Then looked around the apartment. Then looked at me again. “Damn, I left it on the street outside our door” …

Bean Chili with Walnuts & Chocolate

Serves 6-8

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, ghee or coconut oil

1 large yellow onion, peeled and finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, peeled and finely chopped

2 tsp cumin seeds

1 fresh chili, minced (more if you like it spicy)

1 tsp ground paprika

1 tsp dried oregano

2 bell pepper, red & yellow, finely chopped

1 carrot, finely chopped

1 parsnip, peeled and finely chopped

2 large stalks of celery with top greens, finely chopped

1 1/2 cup (150 g) raw walnuts, very finely chopped

5 cups (800 g) cooked mixed beans (adzuki, kidney, black eye, borlotti)

2 x 400 g cans whole plum tomatoes

1 cup (240 ml) water

2 tsp salt

1/2 cup (120 ml) red wine or balsamic vinegar

1/2 cup coffee (optional)

2 ounces (60 g) 80% dark chocolate, broken in pieces

For serving

1 bunch of fresh cilantro, coarsely chopped

1/2 cup (120 ml) plain yogurt

1 lime, quartered

4 corn tortillas, toasted

Start by preparing all vegetables. Heat oil in a large thick-bottomed saucepan or dutch oven. Add onion, garlic, cumin, chili, paprika and oregano, and let fry for a couple of minutes, stirring occasionally, until the spices smells fragrant. Be careful so they don’t burn. Add bell pepper, carrot, parsnip and celery, let cook for another couple of minutes. Add walnuts, beans, tomatoes, water and salt and let cook for 30 minutes more. Now add red wine, coffee and chocolate, stir around carefully and let cook for 5 more minutes. Taste and season with sea salt and freshly ground pepper. Serve in bowls with a dollop of yogurt, fresh cilantro, lime and toasted corn tortilla.