Chili Our Way

6 Dried hot chile peppers

3 lb Boneless chuck, in 1/4 inch

-ice 6 tb Rendered beef suet

2 Onions, chopped

4 Garlic cloves

1 1/2 tb Cumin

1 lb Tomatoes, drained & chopped

1 tb Unsweetened cocoa powder

1 Bay leaf

1/2 ts Oregano

Accompaniments: Sour cream Cheddar cheese, finely grate Onion, chopped Hot chile peppers, seeded & -inced Kidney or pinto beans Tortilla chips Heat a griddle or cast-iron skillet over mod-high heat until it is hot. Toast the chile peppers, turning them and not allowing them to burn, for 1-2 minutes. Let chile peppers cool until they can be handled, then seed

them. Combine peppers with 1 cup water in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, covered, simmer the mixture for 5 minutes. Puree the water and pepper in a food processor. In a large casserole, saute the chuck in 4 Tbsp beef suet over moderately high heat until it is lightly browned. Transfer meat to a bowl. Add to the casserole, the remaining suet, onions, and garlic, and cook the mixture over moderate heat, stirring, until the onions are softened. Add the cumin and cook the mixture over mod-low heat, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the chuck, chile puree, tomatoes, cocoa powder, bay leaf, and oregano, and combine the mixture well. Add water to cover barely. Bring to a boil and simmer, covered, stirring occasionally, and adding more water, if necessary, to keep the meat covered, for 2 hours longer. Add salt to taste, simmer uncovered for another hour. Discard bay leaf. Transfer the chili to a heated serving bowl and serve it with the sour cream, cheese, onion, chile peppers, beans and tortilla chips. a 1981 Gourmet chili favorite