Foodie Friday--St. Michael's Alley Chili

A few centuries ago when I was but a youngling, my friends and I would hang out at this place called St. Michael's Alley. It was a restaurant/pub type of place that was housed in a corner BEHIND a strip mall near 31st and Harvard.

If my kid wanted to go to a place like that in this current day and age, I would have a tough time letting her go. Times were different then and now St. Michael's is closed.

And I have a couple of their recipes . . .

This chili recipe has been ever so slightly tweaked by me: one can of tomato sauce and one diced poblano pepper. The rest is all St. Michaels. The reason I added the can of sauce was to prolong the cooking time to allow hubs to finish what he was doing without burning the chili.

Yes, it is very spicy.

St Michael's Alley Chili

 



2 pounds ground beef
1-2 large yellow onions, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/3 cup jalapeno peppers, seeded and chopped
1 poblano pepper, seeded and chopped
1 Tbls chili powder
2 tsp. cayenne pepper
2 tsp. cumin
2 tsp. Tabasco sauce
1 Tbls. Worcestershire sauce
2 (16-ounce) cans diced tomatoes with juice
1 (16-ounce) can tomato sauce
salt to taste
pepper to taste

Brown ground beef in large pot or kettle. Drain grease. Add onions, peppers and garlic to beef, stir. Mix in spices. Simmer 10 minutes. Add tomatoes and cook 20 minutes more. Add sauce if the mixture seems to be overcooking.

Top with cheese and diced red onions, if desired.

Tips & Tricks:

• If it is too spicy for you, take out the jalapenos and use green peppers.
• Poblano peppers aren't as spicy hot as jalapenos, so dice two of them instead of jalapenos
• No there are no beans in this--it wouldn't be chili, right??
• 1/3 cup chopped jalapenos is about 2 medium peppers
• Next day chili is really good, the veg is softer and everything has mellowed out.

Enjoy!

Do NOT eat this if you are going to wander far from home. Sometimes the spice might have an adverse effect on your intestinal system . . . jus' sayin'.

Sorry, if it's TMI.