Widowmaker Chili

This chili is not for the faint-hearted, do have guests sign a release form before partaking! ;)

Recipe Ingredients:

2 cups dried black beans, rinsed and sorted
6 cups water
8 red serrano chile peppers*
6 green serrano chile peppers*
6 jalapeño peppers*
2 red bell peppers
1 pound spinach, rinsed and stemmed
12 tomatillos, stemmed
6 green tomatoes, stemmed
5 green onions
5 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 1/2 pounds lean pork steak, diced
2 onions, sliced
8 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 tablespoons ground cumin
1 pound diced ham
2 cups chopped fresh cilantro

Cooking Directions:

1. Combine black beans and water in a stockpot. Bring to a boil and simmer until tender, about 2 hours.
2. Meanwhile, place red and green chile peppers, jalapeños and bell peppers on a baking sheet. Roast under the broiler until the skins are blackened, turning often. Place in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let sit for 15 minutes, then peel and remove the seeds.
3. In a food processor, purée chiles, bell peppers, spinach, tomatillos, green tomatoes and green onions; set aside.
4. Heat oil in a large saucepan and cook pork until browned. Remove and drain on paper towels.
5. Add onions and garlic to pork grease; sauté until tender, about 3 minutes. Add sugar, cumin, ham, pork and the chile purée. Simmer over low heat for 2 hours.
6. When beans are tender, add meat mixture; mix well. Serve with topped with cilantro.

Makes 12 servings.

*Working with jalapeños or other chiles: Capsaicin is the ingredient in chiles that causes the burning sensation associated with fresh peppers. It's a good idea to use rubber gloves when handling fresh chiles. (Disposable surgical gloves, available at most drugstores, work best for this.) If you choose not to use gloves, be extremely careful not to touch any part of your body, especially your eyes. After you've finished handling the chiles, wash your knife and cutting board with hot soapy water to ensure that there is no carry-over to other foods that may come in contact with the peppers.