Chili

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• Chili

Today in La was the perfect Chili day......

This is a great no bean chili, the chocolate and the peppers are a wonderful combination. If you can't find all the different chili powders don't worry just work with what you can find, this recipe adapts very easily......

  4 tablespoons olive oil

• 2 pounds bottom round beef, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 1 (12 ounce) bottle dark beer
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped semi-sweet chocolate 
• 1 large red onion, finely diced
• 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1/2 poblano, seeded and finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon seeded and chopped habanero
• 1 Thai bird chile, seeded and chopped
• 1/2 jalapeno, seeded and chopped
• 1 tablespoon chipotle pepper puree
• 1 tablespoon ancho chile powder
• 1 tablespoon pasilla chile powder
• 1 tablespoon cascabel chile powder
• 1 teaspoon New Mexican chile powder
• 5 cups homemade chicken stock, or canned low-sodium or water
• 1 (16-ounce) can whole tomatoes, drained and pureed
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup or more, to taste
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Heat 3 tablespoons of the oil in a large Dutch oven over high heat. Season the beef with salt and pepper, and saute until browned on all sides. Sprinkle with the cumin and stir well. Deglaze the pan with the beer and bring to a boil. Stir in the chocolate and cook until beer is almost completely reduced.

In a separate pot, add 1 tablespoon of the oil and add the onions to the pan and cook until soft. Add the garlic and cook for 2 minutes. Add the poblano, habanero, Thai bird, jand alapeno peppers and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the chipotle puree, ancho powder, pasilla powder, cascabel and New Mexican chile powders and cook an additional 2 minutes. Add the chicken stock and tomatoes and bring to a boil and boil for 15 to 20 minutes, or until all vegetables are tender. Puree with an immersion blender. Add the beef mixture back to the pan, reduce the heat to medium, cover the pan, and simmer for 1 hour, or until thick and beef is tender. Remove from the heat, add the maple syrup, and adjust seasonings.