Black Bean and Pepper Jack Fondue  
 

Ingredients:
1 medium red onion, chopped, about 1 cup
2 large carrots chopped, about 1 cup
1 large stalk celery chopped. about 3/4 cup
6 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
2 jalapenos, stem and seeds discarded, chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon ground cumin
2 bay leaves, broken
1 tablespoon ground black peppercorns
1 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
1/4 cup dry sherry or apple juice
1/8 cup Spanish sherry wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 cans (15 ounces) of black beans, rinsed and drained
4 cups (32 ounces) chicken broth
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded pepper Jack cheese (use jalapeno Jack for spicy version)
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup sour cream (optional)
1/4 cup chopped scallions

For dipping:
Tortilla chips
chunks of pepper
Jack or jalapeno Jack cheese

Directions:
Saute onion, carrots, garlic, celery and jalapenos in olive oil and butter in large sauce pan until beginning to brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in cumin, bay leaves, black and cayenne pepper, dry sherry and sherry wine vinegar, cook 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in flour and cook 2 minutes longer, stirring frequently.
Add beans and chicken stock. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly until thickened. Reduce heat to low, add cheese and heavy cream and cook until mixture reaches a fondue consistency.
Transfer the fondue to an enamel or ceramic fondue pot and keep warm over a fondue burner. Top with pepper Jack cheese, sour cream and scallions and serve immediately with tortilla chips. Makes 20 servings