Guest Author - Chef Rick Bayless in the March 1994 issue of Bon Appetit

Serves 8

6 garlic cloves, unpeeled
4 dried pasilla chiles, seeded and stemmed

3 1/2 cups canned beef broth
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 teaspoons sugar

12 6-inch corn tortillas
3 cups canned black beans, rinsed, drained
4 cups grated Monterey Jack cheese
3/4 cup Mexican crema, or 2/3 cup sour cream blended with 2 tablespoons whipping cream

Heat heavy large skillet over medium-low heat. Add garlic; cook until tender and skin begins to blacken, turning occasionally, about 18 minutes. Remove from skillet. Add chiles to skillet; flatten with spatula. Toast over medium-low heat until beginning to darken, about 2 minutes per side. Place in bowl. Add enough hot water to bowl to cover chiles. Soak until very soft, about 30 minutes.

Drian chiles. Peel garlic. Pour 2 cups broth in blender. Add chiles and garlic; puree. Heat oil in heavy medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add chile mixture; simmer until thick, stirring often, about 5 minutes. Add 1 1/2 cups broth. Simmer over medium-low heat until sauce is reduced to 1 1/2 cups, stirring often, about 25 minutes. Add sugar. (Can be made 4 days ahead. Cover and chill.)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spread 1/4 cup sauce over bottom of 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Cover sauce with 4 tortillas. Top with beans then 1 cup cheese. Cover cheese with 4 tortillas. Pour half of remaining sauce over tortillas. Sprinkle 2 cups cheese over sauce. Drizzle with half of crema. Layer 4 tortillas evenly over crema and cheese. Pour remaining sauce over tortillas. Sprinkle with remaining cheese and drizzle with remaining crema. Cover with foil. Bake 15 minutes. Uncover and bake until caserole is bubbling around edges and cheese melts, about 20 minutes longer. Let stand 5 minutes, cut into squares and serve.