Texas chili con carne~ no tomato

Yield: 4 Servings

Ingredients:

6 Pequin chilies (small but -very hot chilies!)
6 Ancho chilies (large dried -chilies)
2 lb Stewing beef cut up into -1/2" cubes
1 tb Olive oil
2 Bay leaves
1 tb Cumin ground
2 Cloves garlic peeled
2 ts Oregano preferably Mexican
2 tb Paprika
1 ts Sugar

Instructions:

-coarse salt -fresh ground black pepper Tear the chilies in strips and pour two cups boiling water over them. Let soak for 30 minutes. Drain reserving the liquid and set aside. Heat the oil in a heavy casserole and brown the beef cubes. Add the chilie soaking liquid and bring to a boil. Add the bay leaves turn down the heat and let simmer for an hour. Meanwhile puree the rest of the ingredients including the chilies with a half cup of water or more if needed in a blender or processor. Add the puree to the meat and let simmer for 30 minutes more adding water as necessary.