In a hot pan over medium heat, saute onions and garlic until onions are soft. When soft, add cumin. Saute a few minutes. Add canned beans. Saute for a couple of minutes. Set aside.

In small pan on medium heat, slightly char the ancho pieces. When you start to smell their fragrance, remove them and put them in a blender with the water. Puree until smooth. Set aside.

Into the crockpot, onion-bean mixture, pureed chiles, and the rest of the ingredients except the salsa, cilantro and lime juice. Cook on LOW 8-9 hours. At 7 hrs, add lime juice. Cook for another hour or so until it tastes right TO YOU.

To serve: put chili over white rice or grits, garnish with salsa and sour cream. Maybe some chopped cilantro too.

NOTES : Notes: I adapted this from The Best of Gourmet (Featuring the Flavors of Italy), p. 167. The original recipe called for cooking the dried beans with the onions and garlic. I quickened it by using the canned beans.

Also, I used vegetable broth instead of chicken broth and I used orange bell pepper instead of red. I also put some ground coriander seed in the chile instead of some of the cilantro.

I added a chipotle pepper for some smokiness. You can use either the reconstituted dried ones or one from a can of chipotle en adobo, whichever you have available.

From: Gourmet Magazine and Risa G, radiorlg@yahoo.com
Posted By: Risa G, Via: Chile Head Mailing List
Post Date: Wed, 28 Jul 1999