Red Bean Chili

This may seem an unseemly amount of chili powder, but it makes the
flavor jump right off the plate with a minimum of ingredients. Plus,
the mahogany-garnet hue in the photo was exactly what made this recipe
call to me. It was even prettier in person, despite the horrible
photos above.

2 to 2 1/4 pounds lean ground beef or turkey
1 large onion, chopped (about 1 1/2 cups)
5 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup canned beef broth
1/3 cup chili powder
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa (optional, but I never make chili without it)
1 14 1/2-ounce can diced tomatoes
2 15 1/2-ounce cans kidney beans, drained
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
To taste: Tabasco, 1/2 to 1 teaspoon cayenne or 1 to 2 tablespoons
chipotle en adobo puree

Optional toppings and sides: grated Cheddar, sour cream, minced
jalapeno, corn bread

Place a large Dutch oven or saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the
beef or turkey and cook until browned, about 5 minutes. Add the onion,
stirring well, and cook until translucent, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the
garlic and cook 1 minute more. Gradually add the broth, scraping up
any browned bits from the bottom of the Dutch oven. Stir in the chili
powder, cumin, cocoa and tomatoes. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover,
and let simmer for 10 minutes. Add the beans, salt, and vinegar,
stirring well. Simmer uncovered for 10 minutes more. Adjust flavor
with your spices of choice. Garnish with the Cheddar, sour cream, and
jalapeno, if desired. Serve hot, with corn bread, if desired.

Adapted from Real Simple Magazine