Chili With Beef And Red Beans- Ingredients:

• 2 pounds beef stew meat, trimmed and cut into 1-inch chunks
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large onion, coarsely chopped
• 2 red bell peppers, cored and coarsely chopped
• 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely chopped
• 6 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
• 4 cups beef broth
• 1 can (28 ounces) crushed tomatoes
• 3 bay leaves
• 1 cinnamon stick or 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 large pinch red chili flakes (or more to taste)
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup
• 1 1/2 tablespoons dried oregano
• 1 16-ounce can red beans, rinsed and drained
• 1/2 coarsely grated cheddar cheese
• 1/4 cup finely chopped onion
• Sour cream, chopped red onion, grated, cheddar cheese and/or chopped fresh cilantro for garnish

Season the meat with salt and pepper. Heat two tablespoons of the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat and add the meat in a single, loosely-packed layer, working in batches to avoid overcrowding the pan. Sear the meat on all sides and set it aside in a shallow bowl.

Once all of the meat has been seared and set aside, add the remaining tablespoon of oil and stir in the onion, peppers and garlic. Season the vegetables with a pinch of salt and cook, scraping the bottom of the pan to dislodge any browned bits. Once the vegetables are soft and browned, stir in the vinegar. Cook until the liquid has almost completely evaporated, then add the broth, tomatoes, bay leaves, cinnamon, chili flakes, cumin and maple syrup and bring to a boil. Add the meat and any juices that have accumulated and reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook, partially covered, for about 2 hours, until the meat is fork-tender and the liquid has thickened somewhat. (It will still be more soup-like than stew-like at this point.)

Carefully transfer two cups of the hot cooking liquid to a tall-sided bowl and fold in all but 1/4 cup of the beans. Using an immersion blender, puree the beans and cooking liquid together until smooth and return the mixture to the pot, along with the remaining whole beans. Stir in the oregano and cook for another 15 minutes, then remove and discard the bay leaves and cinnamon stick, if using. Serve the chili in bowls, garnished with cheese and onions.

Serves 8.