Spicy Vegetarian Chocolate Chili (Crock Pot - If Desired) - cooking recipe

Ingredients

Chili
1/4 cup olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 tablespoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons dried oregano
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons ground coriander
3 tablespoons chili powder
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 teaspoons kosher salt
6 garlic cloves, minced
2 (14 1/2 ounce) cans diced tomatoes, undrained (petite is best)
1 jalapeno pepper, sliced thin with seeds, stems removed
3 canned chipotle chiles in adobo, chopped
1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
1 (12 ounce) bottle beer (may substitute water)
1 (15 ounce) can black beans, undrained
1 (15 ounce) can canned pinto beans, undrained
1 (15 ounce) can red kidney beans, undrained
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, cut into large chunks
Toppings
shredded cheddar cheese
sour cream
chopped onion

Preparation

Cook the onions in the oil in a Dutch oven or heavy soup pot for 15 minutes.
Sprinkle the onions with the cumin, oregano, cinnamon, coriander, chili powder, pepper, salt, and garlic and stir. Cook - stirring constantly to make sure the spices don't stick and burn - for an additional 5 minutes.
Add the diced tomatoes and jalapenos, and chipotle peppers and bring the mixture to a boil, scraping up any bits stuck to the bottom of the pan and incorporating the bits into the sauce.
Stir in the tomato paste and beer (or water) until smooth.
Lower the heat, cover and let simmer, for 45 minutes.
Stir in the beans, and lime juice and simmer for an additional 15 minutes.
Add chocolate and stir until melted.
Serve immediately if desired but to enhance the flavor store in the refrigerator up to 3 days, transfer to a crockpot and cook on low for up to 4 hours (or just reheat if desired). If cooking in the crock pot longer than 4 hours, add 1/2 cup water prior to cooking and stir well.
Ladle into a bowl and serve with desired toppings.