Chilli con carne (serves 7)

Ingredients

Process

2 tbsp olive oil

2 onions, chopped

2 garlic cloves, crushed

1kg/2¼lb lean beef mince

250ml/9fl oz red wine

2 x 400g cans chopped tomatoes

3 tbsp tomato purée

2 red chillies, thinly sliced, or 3-4 tsp dried chilli flakes

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp ground coriander

1 stick cinnamon

good shake of Worcestershire sauce

1 beef stock cube

salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 x 400g can red kidney beans, rinsed and drained

1 large bunch coriander leaves, roughly chopped

wedges of lime, to serve

Heat the oil in a large, heavy-based saucepan with a lid and fry the onion and garlic until softened. Increase the heat and add the mince, cooking quickly until browned and breaking down any chunks of meat with a wooden spoon.

Pour in the red wine and boil for 2-3 minutes.

Stir in the tinned tomatoes, tomato purée, fresh chilli or chilli flakes, cumin, coriander, cinnamon, and Worcestershire sauce and crumble in the stock cube. Season well with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Bring to a simmer, cover with a lid and cook over a gentle heat for about 50 minutes to 1 hour, stirring occasionally until the mixture is rich and thickened.

Add the kidney beans and fresh coriander. Cook for a further ten minutes, uncovered, before removing from the heat, adding any extra seasoning if necessary. Serve with rice, guacamole, sour cream and a big green salad.

Grilled vegetable wraps with salsa and guacamole (serves 4)

Ingredients

Process

For the salsa

8 ripe tomatoes, seeded and diced

1 clove of garlic, peeled and crushed

1 small onion, peeled and finely chopped

¼ fresh green chilli, de-seeded and finely chopped

1 tbsp fresh coriander, finely chopped

For the guacamole

2 ripe avocados, peeled and stoned

1 lime, juice only

1 clove of garlic, peeled and crushed

1 small onion, peeled and finely chopped

3 small tomatoes, seeded and chopped

¼ fresh green chilli, de-seeded and finely chopped

1 tbsp fresh coriander, finely chopped

For the quesadillas

1 courgette, cut into four slices lengthways

1 red pepper, seeded and cut into quarters, lengthways

1 yellow pepper, seeded and cut into quarters, lengthways

1 packet flour tortillas

coriander leaves, to garnish

1 lime, cut into four wedges to garnish

To make the salsa, mix the tomatoes, garlic, onion, chilli and coriander together and leave for about 30 minutes at room temperature to allow the depth of flavour to develop.

To make the guacamole, mash the avocados with the lime juice.

Add the garlic, onion, tomato, chilli and coriander and mix thoroughly to combine.

To make the quesadillas, heat a chargrill pan over a medium to high heat, add the courgette slices and peppers and grill for 10-15 minutes or until softened and chargrilled in places. Remove the griddled vegetables from the pan and cut into strips.

Spread one tablespoon each of guacamole and salsa onto four tortillas.

Divide the vegetables between the four tortillas. Wrap them up and return them to the chargrill pan for one minute on each side.

Open the quesadilla slightly to serve, garnished with coriander leaves and wedge of lime.

Beef tacos with salsa and guacamole (serves 4)

Ingredients

Process

For the beef filling

500g/1lb 2oz beef mince

1 onion, chopped

150g/5oz field mushrooms, sliced (optional)

1 green pepper, seeds removed, chopped

1 garlic clove, crushed

½ tsp hot paprika

¼ tsp ground cumin

200ml/7fl oz beef stock

6 tbsp tomato purée

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the guacamole

4 mild chillies, finely chopped

bunch fresh coriander, chopped

2 tomatoes, finely chopped

1 onion, finely chopped

½ lime, juice only

3 ripe avocados

For the salsa

250g/9oz fresh tomatoes, finely chopped

1 small onion, finely chopped

3 mild chillies, seeds removed, finely chopped

bunch fresh coriander, finely chopped

To serve

12 taco shells

1 cucumber, sliced into thin batons

spring onions, thinly sliced

Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/gas 4.

For the beef filling, fry the mince in a frying pan over a medium-high heat for 5-6 minutes, stirring occasionally and breaking it up with a wooden spoon, or until browned. Add the onion, mushrooms if using, green pepper and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, for five minutes or until the vegetables are softened. Stir in the paprika and cumin and season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Pour in the beef stock and tomato purée and mix well. Cover and simmer gently for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Meanwhile, for the guacamole, use a pestle and mortar to pound the chillies, coriander, tomatoes, onion and salt to a fine paste. Alternatively use a mini food processor. Loosen the consistency by stirring in the lime and a splash of water.

Cut the avocadoes in half, remove the stone and scoop out the flesh. Mash the avocadoes with a fork then mix with the paste.

For the salsa, combine all the salsa ingredients together in a bowl.

To serve, place the taco shells on a baking tray and warm them in the oven for 2-3 minutes. Spoon the beef filling into the warm taco shells, spoon over the guacamole and salsa and garnish with cucumber and spring onions.

Chicken tacos with green pepper salsa (serves 2)

Ingredients

Process

2 chicken breasts, cut into thin strips

1 can of drained and washed cannellini beans

1 red onion, thinly sliced

1 red chilli, chopped

1 clove garlic, crushed

small bunch of coriander, chopped

½ lemon, juice only

salt and freshly ground black pepper

100ml/3½fl oz sour cream

4 taco shells

For the salsa

3 plum tomatoes, de-seeded and chopped

1 red chilli, chopped

1 green pepper, finely chopped

½ red onion

½ lemon, juice only

1 tbsp olive oil

To garnish

50g/2oz cucumber, finely sliced

50g/2oz cheddar, grated

½ red onion, diced

In a deep pan, sauté the chicken in a little oil until just cooked.

Add the beans and onion, chilli and garlic and some chopped coriander.

Add the lemon juice and season, and then mix in a little sour cream.

In another bowl, mix the salsa ingredients together.

To serve, spoon the chicken mix into the taco shells and add some salsa. Dollop a little more sour cream inside, garnish with the cucumber, grated cheddar and red onion, and eat with gusto!

Vegetarian chilli tacos (serves 4)

Ingredients

Process

1 tbsp olive oil

1 onion, finely chopped

1 garlic clove

3 celery stalks, finely chopped

200g/7oz brown cap/shiitake mushrooms, chopped

2 bird’s-eye chillies, chopped

100g/3½oz tomato purée

1 tsp cocoa powder

100ml/3½fl oz red wine

150ml/5fl oz vegetable stock

150g/5oz canned kidney beans, rinsed and drained

150g/5oz canned butterbeans, rinsed and drained

150g/5oz canned soya beans, rinsed and drained

salt and freshly ground black pepper

To serve

12 ready-made taco shells, warmed

150g/5ozMontereyJack (or similar mild) cheese, grated

2 tbsp chopped fresh coriander

200ml/7fl oz soured cream

cactus pickles, chopped (if available)

Heat the oil in a frying pan over a medium heat. Fry the onion, garlic and celery until soft.

Add the mushrooms and chillies and cook for one minute.

Add the tomato purée and cook for a further 2-3 minutes.

When the mushrooms are soft, add the cocoa powder, wine and stock and bring to the boil.

Reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes, then add all of the beans and cook for a further 10-12 minutes, or until the sauce has reduced and the beans are all heated through.

To serve, place 2-3 tablespoonfuls of the bean chilli in each taco shell. Top with the grated cheese, chopped coriander, soured cream and cactus pickles (if using), and place onto plates.