It's the dish that helped propel Dave Chasen from vaudeville comic to owner of a top supper club. On the strength of his custom chili (cooked in director Frank Capra's kitchen), Chasen opened his famed restaurant in Beverly Hills in 1936. It became a destination for movie stars, writers and even J. Edgar Hoover. According to Jaya Saxena's The Book of Lost Recipes, this version of his chili — so delicious Elizabeth Taylor requested it while in the hospital — is one of the best.

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Ingredients

½ lb. dried pinto beans

1 can diced tomatoes in juice

1 large green bell pepper chopped

2 tbsp vegetable oil

3 small onions, coarsely chopped

2 cloves garlic, crushed

½ cup parsley, chopped

½ cup butter

2 lbs. beef chuck, coarsely chopped

1 lb. pork shoulder, coarsely chopped

⅓ cup chili powder

1 tbsp salt

1 ½ tsp black pepper

1 ½ tsp ground cumin

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Directions

1. Rinse the beans under cold water, picking out the debris.

2. Place the beans in a Dutch oven with water to cover over high heat.

3. Bring to a boil.

4. Boil for 2 minutes, then remove from heat.

5. Cover and let stand 1 hour before draining off the liquid.

6. Rinse the beans again and add enough fresh water to cover.

7. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, covered, for one hour or until tender.

8. Stir in the tomatoes and their juice and let simmer for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, in a large skillet over medium-high heat, sautee bell peppers in vegetable oil for 5 minutes.

9. Add chopped onions and cook until tender, stirring frequently.

10. Stir in garlic and parsley then add this whole mixture to the beans.

11. Using the same skillet, melt the butter and saute�? beef and pork chuck until browned, about 7 minutes.

12. Drain and add the meat to the bean mixture along with chili powder, salt, pepper, cumin and a cup (237 ml) of water.

13. Bring the chili to a boil, then reduce heat to simmer and cover.

14. Let simmer for an hour, then uncover and cook another 30 minutes, or to desired consistency.

15. Chili shouldn't be too thick. It should be somewhat liquid but not runny like soup.

16. Skim off the excess fat and serve.