Bean & Roasted Pepper Chili

In your largest flameproof casserole dish or heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine the onions, celery, and chopped peppers with the oil and gradually cook over low heat until tender but not colored.

Both pepper jars should be drained over a basin to catch the juices. Combine a quarter of the peppers with the chipotle paste, vinegar, chocolate, dried herbs, and spices in a food processor. Purée in the blender, then stir into the cooked vegetables and cook for a few minutes.

One can of water, the conserved pepper juice, and the tomatoes and refried beans are added. Simmer for 1 hour, or until the sauce is thick, smoky, and the tomato pieces are mostly broken down.

If creating the sauce in advance, you can now cool and chill it. Alternative: Stir in the leftover roasted peppers, and cut them into bite-sized pieces, along with the kidney and black beans. Reheat. (Since there will be a lot of sauce, it might be simpler to divide it between two pans when adding the beans and peppers.) As soon as the beans are bubbling and heated, taste-test your seasoning and serve.