Favourite Recipes from Pine Flat Place June 2011

This first month I bring Former Masterchef winner Thomasina Miers, Chef Patron at Wahaca Restaurants recipes from Mexican Food made Simple. These delicious dishes can be made in no time and reflect Tommi’s love of vibrant, fresh and very importantly, light Mexican Street Food. If you are in London I urge you to try Wahaca for an inexpensive and revelatory treat!

http://www.thomasinamiers.com/

Chorizo, potato and thyme quesadillas

Ingredients

Enough for 4 large quesadillas

350g potatoes

½ onion, finely chopped

1 clove of garlic, chopped

200g chorizo cooking sausage, chopped

A small bunch of thyme, chopped

Sea salt and black pepper

4 large flour or corn tortillas

400g cheese, grated (mix of mature cheddar and grated mozzarella)

Olive oil


Method

1. Cut the potatoes into equal-sized chunks and fry until tender. Leave them to cool a little and then cut them into 1cm dice. Cook the onion until soft, add the garlic and cook for a further 3 minutes. Mix in the chorizo and potato, turn up the heat and fry for another 5 minutes. Mix in the thyme and season. Assemble the rest of the quesadilla ingredients.

2. Spread a quarter of the chorizo mixture on to one half of a tortilla and sprinkle with a fistful of cheese.

3. Fold the tortilla over so that you have a half-moon. Brush it with a little olive oil (so that the tortilla doesn’t stick to the pan) and place in a hot, dry frying pan or griddle and cook until golden and crisp. Repeat with the remaining tortillas.

4. Cut into wedges and serve with your favourite table salsa.

Black Bean Quesadillas

Ingredients

2 tins black beans

75g lard (or butter)

2 tbsp vegetable oil

1 medium onion

2 cloves garlic

A good pinch of sweet paprika

4 large flour tortillas

For the salsa1.5kg beef tomatoes

250g red onion, finely chopped

A small bunch coriander, stalks removed and roughly chopped

1-2 red chillies, very finely chopped

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

½ tbsp soft brown sugar

Juice of 1 lime

Sea salt and freshly ground pepper


Method

To make the salsa, just combine all the ingredients in a large bowl and toss well to combine. Let the salsa steep for half an hour which allows all the flavours to develop.

Drain the beans and rinse them in cold water. Heat the lard in a frying pan with the oil and when it is hot add the onion. Sweat the onion on a medium heat until it is translucent. Add the garlic and paprika and cook for another few minutes before adding the beans. Fry for five minutes, stirring all the time and then add season with salt and pepper. Add a cup of water and whiz to a rough purée with a stick blender.

To assemble, spread the beans on two of the tortillas. Top with the grated cheese and sandwich with the other two tortillas. Cook with a tiny splash of oil in a wide frying pan until toasted on both sides. Cut into wedges and serve with the salsa.

Black bean and bacon soup with fresh tomato salsa

 

Ingredients

For the fresh tomato salsa

12 cherry tomatoes, quartered

½ small red onion, very finely diced

1 small handful coriander leaves, roughly chopped

1 jalapeno chilli, very finely diced

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 tsp soft brown sugar, or Demerara sugar

1-2 lime, juice only, to taste

For the black bean and bacon soup

2 tbsp olive oil

50 g butter or lard

½ white onion, finely chopped

6 rashers streaky bacon, finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1 generous pinch dried red chilli flakes

600 g canned or pre-cooked black beans drained and rinsed

2 fresh bay leaves

2 tbsp tarragon leaves, chopped

500 ml chicken or vegetable stock

1 lime, juice only

100 g Wensleydale cheese, crumbled

Method

1. For the fresh tomato salsa: mix together all of the salsa ingredients and season with sea salt and black pepper. Adjust the amount of lime juice and seasoning, to taste. Set aside for 20 minutes to allow the flavours to develop.

2. For the black bean and bacon soup: heat the oil and half of the butter together in a large saucepan over a medium heat. When the butter starts foaming, stir in the onion and bacon. Fry for 5 minutes, or until the onion is softened and translucent and lightly golden-brown.

3. Stir in the garlic and chilli flakes. Season with sea salt and black pepper and fry for a further 5 minutes.

4. Add the black beans, bay leaves, tarragon and stock and simmer for about 5 minutes. Blend the soup briefly with a stick blender, leaving some texture, then stir in the lime juice and heat through.

5. When ready to serve, stir the remaining butter into the soup to give a glossy finish. Ladle into warm dishes and top with the Wensleydale cheese and fresh tomato salsa.