Eureka Chicken and Black Bean Chili

This is a recipe from Wolfgang Puck's book "Adventures in the Kitchen". The original recipe called for venison, lamb, beef, duck, or chicken, whatever your preference, in this very easy recipe.

• Ready In: 7 hrs
• Serves: 10-12
• Yields: 12 cups

Ingredients

• 3⁄4 cup  vegetable oil
• 2 1⁄2 lbs boneless chicken, coarsly diced
• 6  dried pasilla peppers, cored and seeded
• 3 -4  large onions, diced
• 1  medium onion
• 3  bay leaves
• 1  small  head garlic, peeled and minced
• 2  tablespoons  crushed black peppercorns
• 2  tablespoons cumin
• 3 1⁄2 cups  chicken stock
• 2  lbs tomatoes, peeled seeded and chopped
• 3 (12 ounce) bottles dark beer
• 2  jalapeno peppers, cored seeded and chopped
• 2  serrano chilies, cored seeded, and chopped finely
• 1  bunch  fresh oregano leaves, chopped
• 1  bunch fresh thyme, chopped
• 2  medium lemons, chopped fine zest
• 2  lemons, juice of
• 1⁄2 lb black beans, soaked overnight
• 1⁄2 medium carrot
• 1⁄2 medium celery
• 1 1⁄4 cups water
• 1  bunch cilantro leaf, chopped fine
• 1⁄4 cup molasses
•  salt

Directions

1. Heat a large skillet. Pour in 1/2 cup oil and, over medium heat, saute the chicken until the liquid evaporates, 10 to 15 minutes. Make sure to cook thoroughly on all sides.
2. In a large pot, heat remaining 1/4 cup oil. Over medium heat, saute the pasilla chiles for about 2 minutes. Remove the chiles and reserve. In the same pot, saute the onions for about 10 minutes. Add bay leaves, garlic, peppercorn, cumin, and paprika. Stir thoroughly.
3. Cook the reserved pasilla chiles in 2 cups of chicken stock until tender. Transfer to a blender or a food processor and puree the chiles. Pour into the pot with the sauteed onions and cook until most of the liquid is absorbed.
4. Add tomatoes and beer. Cook over medium heat for about 2 hours, stirring occassionally. The last 30 minutes of cooking, add chicken.
5. Stir in jalapeno and serrano peppers, oragano, thyme, lemon zest and juice, and combine well. If more liquid is needed, add water from bean soak.
6. While the chili is cooking, drain the beans, reserving the liquid. Place the beans in a saucepan with the medium onion, carrot, and celery stalk. Pour in the remaining 1 1/2 cups stock and the water. Cook over medium-high heat until tender, about 2 hours. Add water as neccessary. Rmove the onion, carrot, and celery. Drain the beans, reserving the liquid to use as needed in the chili.
7. Add the beans and cilantro to the chili pot. Stir in the molasses. Add salt to taste. Remove the bay leaves.
8. Serve with shredded cheese, sour cream, tortillas, chopped onions and chopped jicama. Serve immedietly.
9. May be made in advanced and heated up on low heat when ready to serve.