Active Time

　　45 min

　　Total Time

　　45 min

　　With some warm corn bread, this chili is a meal in itself. You wouldn't know there was chocolate in the recipe, but it adds a subtle depth of flavor to the dish.

Ingredients

　　2 large onions (1 pound), coarsely chopped

　　1 green bell pepper, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

　　3 large garlic cloves, finely chopped

　　1/2 fresh jalapeño chile, finely chopped (including seeds)

　　2 tablespoons olive oil

　　1 tablespoon chili powder

　　1 teaspoon ground cumin

　　2 teaspoons salt

　　28-ounce can whole tomatoes, coarsely chopped, with juice

　　2 zucchini, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

　　2 (15-ounce) cans kidney beans, rinsed

　　1 tablespoon chopped semisweet chocolate

　　3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

　　Sauté onions, bell pepper, garlic, and jalapeño in oil in a 4-quart heavy pot over moderately high heat, stirring, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add chili powder, cumin, and salt and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Add tomatoes with juice and zucchini and simmer, partially covered, stirring occasionally, 15 minutes. Stir in beans and chocolate and simmer, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes. Stir in cilantro.