Mexican Beef Stew

A dinner recipe with chocolate in it:  sounds like my kind of meal, doesn't it?  Mexican beef stew has an interesting gravy that contains tomato, cinnamon, clove, chocolate, onion and garlic. 

This stew is a lot of work;  I only make it every couple of years or so.  I had red peppers on hand and stew beef was on sale so this recipe came to mind.  All the chopping and prep work is worth it.  It may look like regular stew, but it has way more flavor.  (The frozen - and now wilted - cilantro doesn't look the greatest, but I liked how it tasted in this, too.)

Yay for leftovers!  I'll get to enjoy it again without all the work.

Mexican Beef Stew
(Adapted from Chocolate (Practical Cooking))

2 red bell peppers
1 14oz can diced tomatoes
1 onion, cut into quarters
2 oz dark chocolate, broken into pieces
2 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
3 Tbls red wine vinegar
cooking oil
1½ lb stew beef
1 cup beef or vegetable stock
2 cloves
1 piece of cinnamon stick
2 large carrots, peeled and finely chopped
1 large potato, peeled and diced
salt and pepper
1 Tbls chopped fresh cilantro, to garnish

Cut the bell peppers in half and seed them.  Place the peppers on a cookie sheet and roast them at 475° for 20 minutes (until the skins blacken and blister).  Set them aside.

In a food processor, combine the diced tomato, onion, chocolate, garlic and vinegar.  When the peppers are cool enough to handle, skin them and add the peppers to the food processor as well.  Blend ingredients to a paste.

Heat oil in a large pan or dutch oven.  Add beef, in batches if necessary, and cook over medium heat, stirring frequently until browned all over.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.  Add the chocolate paste and stock.  Add cloves and cinnamon.  Bring to a boil, then lower heat, cover and simmer for 1 hour.  

Add carrots and potato to the pan, stir well and simmer for another 30 minutes, until the vegetables are cooked through.  Remove and discard the cloves and cinnamon.  Taste the stew and adjust seasoning if necessary.  Garnish with fresh cilantro and serve immediately.