Ingredients:

• 1 pound dried black beans
• About 10 cups water
• 1 whole bell pepper
• 2/3 cup olive oil
• 1 cup onion, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1 green bell pepper, diced
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 to 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 large can (28 ounces) tomatoes, undrained
• 2 tablespoons chipotle powder
• 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
• 1/4 cup Spice Exchange Chipotle Mexican-Style Hot Sauce
• 6 to 8 cups chicken stock
• 2 tablespoons white vinegar
• 2 tablespoons white wine
• 2 tablespoons olive oil

Instructions:

Wash the beans and rinse thoroughly. Put them in a large, heavy pot with the water and the whole bell pepper and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to a simmer and cook for about 2 1/2 hours, or until the beans are almost tender.
Heat the olive oil in a saute pan and add the onion, garlic, and diced bell pepper and saute for 2 minutes, or until the pepper is softened. Add to the cooked beans. Then add all of the remaining ingredients except the last four. Let the beans simmer slowly for about 45 minutes, adding the stock as needed to keep a soupy consistency. Add the vinegar, wine, and olive oil and simmer the beans for another 45 minutes, adding more vegetable stock if necessary.

Yield: 8 servings