(adapted from Dennis Weimann’s original recipe)

2 pounds ground beef
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
1 green pepper, seeded and chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 Serrano peppers, minced
2 Jalapeno peppers, seeds removed, minced
1 Anaheim pepper, seeds removed, minced
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons chili powder
2 tablespoons cumin
1 tablespoon oregano
2 tablespoons paprika
2 tablespoons Tony Chachere’s Cajun seasoning (this gives the chili the Cha Cha)
1 1/2 teaspoons black pepper
1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 (15-ounce) can hot chili beans
2 (28-ounce) cans of diced tomatoes with juice

Heat olive oil in large pot over medium heat. When oil is hot, add onion and green pepper. Saute until almost tender. Add garlic, serrano peppers, jalapeno peppers and Anaheim peppers and saute for 2 minutes. Add ground beef. Cook and stir mixture until meat is cooked through. Drain any fat from the pot.

Add brown sugar, chili powder, ground cumin, oregano, paprika, Cajun seasoning and black pepper. Mix well. Add beans and tomatoes with juice. Stir and heat through. Serve piping hot with shredded cheese, sour cream and corn tortilla chips.

Makes 8 servings.

Tips from the cook

* I didn’t feel the need to add any tomato sauce, but Weimann’s recipe uses at least 1 (28-ounce) can of sauce.

* I left the seeds in one of the Serrano peppers, but removed them from all the other peppers. The seeds add a lot of heat.

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