"Mole" chili

I have some Mexican friends who would have a heart attack if they saw this called mole. But it does have a nice complex flavor. I cut down on the cocoa a bit because Sami objects to tasting chocolate in a savory dish. Whatever. This recipe is from an old issue of Sunset, I'm pretty sure, and I've adapted it to (hopefully) avoid the toughness issue I had.

Lobo Chile Mole

2 lbs. beef chuck, in cubes 2 28-oz. cans tomatoes

3 large onions, chopped 2-1/2 c. beef broth

4 cloves garlic, chopped 1 can tomato paste

1 T. cumin seed 3 T. cocoa powder

2 t. oregano 3 T. chili powder

1 t. allspice 2 T. olive oil

In a 5-6 quart heavy pot with lid over medium-high heat, heat oil. Brown the meat on all sides; remove to a plate or bowl. Turn down the heat to medium and sauté the onions until they are translucent (probably about 10 minutes), being sure to scrape up any browned meat bits. Add a little water if those bits seem to be getting too brown. Add the garlic, cumin, oregano, allspice, chili powder, about 1 t. salt, and cocoa powder, and sauté another minute. Pour in the broth, then add the meat and any juices that have accumulated. Bring to a boil, then cover and turn down the heat to low. Simmer for 1-1/2 to 2 hours, or until the meat is becoming tender but not yet falling apart. Add the tomatoes and tomato paste and simmer for another half hour. Taste for seasoning--I needed to add some more chili to bump up the heat a bit.

Serve this over rice or with cornbread and with the accompaniments you like best--this is not an especially hot chili, so you may not need the whole cheese/sour cream thing. Maybe just some avocado and chopped tomato.