6    Dried hot chile peppers

      3 lb Boneless chuck, in 1/4 inch

           -ice
      6 tb Rendered beef suet

      2    Onions, chopped

      4    Garlic cloves

  1 1/2 tb Cumin

      1 lb Tomatoes, drained & chopped

      1 tb Unsweetened cocoa powder

      1    Bay leaf

    1/2 ts Oregano

           Accompaniments:
           Sour cream
           Cheddar cheese, finely grate
           Onion, chopped
           Hot chile peppers, seeded &
           -inced
           Kidney or pinto beans
           Tortilla chips
  Heat a griddle or cast-iron skillet over mod-high heat until it is hot.
  Toast the chile peppers, turning them and not allowing them to burn, for
  1-2 minutes.  Let chile peppers cool until they can be handled, then seed

  them. Combine peppers with 1 cup water in a small saucepan. Bring to a
  boil, covered, simmer the mixture for 5 minutes.  Puree the water and
  pepper in a food processor. In a large casserole, saute the chuck in 4 Tbsp
  beef suet over moderately high heat until it is lightly browned. Transfer
  meat to a bowl. Add to the casserole, the remaining suet, onions, and
  garlic, and cook the mixture over moderate heat, stirring, until the onions
  are softened.  Add the cumin and cook the mixture over mod-low heat,
  stirring, for 1 minute.  Add the chuck, chile puree, tomatoes, cocoa
  powder, bay leaf, and oregano, and combine the mixture well.  Add water to
  cover barely. Bring to a boil and simmer, covered, stirring occasionally,
  and adding more water, if necessary, to keep the meat covered, for 2 hours
  longer.  Add salt to taste, simmer uncovered for another hour. Discard bay
  leaf. Transfer the chili to a heated serving bowl and serve it with the
  sour cream, cheese, onion, chile peppers, beans and tortilla chips. a 1981
  Gourmet chili favorite