spicy heirloom-bean chili

Place beans in a large bowl, and cover with 4“ cold water; let soak overnight. Drain beans, place in a large pot, add salt, and cover with 2” water. Bring to a boil; reduce to a simmer, cover and let cook until the largest bean is tender (about 45 minutes). Meanwhile, heat oil in a separate large, heavy-bottomed pot over high heat. Add onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until they begin to turn golden, about 12 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook 2 minutes. Add chili powders, cumin and oregano, and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds. Add 1 cup water, then stir, scraping the bottom of the pot. Add tomatoes, chipotle pepper and cocoa, and stir well to combine. When mixture comes to a boil, reduce to a simmer; cover and cook for 20 minutes (or until the beans in the other pot are done). When beans are ready, drain them and add to the tomato mixture. Cover and cook on low heat, stirring occasionally, for 40 minutes. Serve with Greek yogurt, lime wedges and chopped cilantro.

In the last few years, heirloom tomatoes have gone from chef secret to dinner-party staple, encouraging farmers to get busy with other crops, like legumes. To qualify as heirloom, a bean must go back at least 50 years and be open-pollinated (a breeding process that yields consistent plants annually). Not widely available from commercial growers, these somewhat endangered beans tend to have more idiosyncratic flavors than supermarket ones; hence, they maintain their individuality in a chili. These are my top five and their stories.

1. black nightfall Dense and fudgy, with signature notes of pine or herbs, this is inaccurately rumored to have come over on the Mayflower but is actually indigenous to Mexico.

2. cannellini runner Totally unrelated to the Italian cannellini, this buttery white bean, originally from Mexico’s Oaxaca state, is thought to be one of the world’s oldest crops.

3. santa maria pinquito A classic bean popularized in 1950s Santa Barbara (imported by Mexican citrus workers). Dense, sweet, meaty.

4. christmas lima Named for its pronounced flavor of chestnuts, this oversize bean has been celebrated since at least the 1840s for its unusual looks and rich, earthy taste.

5. tepary Cultivated in Mexico for 6,000-plus years before making its way to the American Southwest, this nutty little guy is particularly hard to harvest commercially. It’s more nutritionally loaded than other beans.

All beans $4.95/lb., ranchogordo.com (you’ll need much less than a pound of each for the chili.)