Easy Mexican fiesta

This week we're delighted to have a guest chef on Mother Tucker, the ladies who cook n' dine at hospitality inc, Lucy and Cath. Here's their version of a ludicrously easy`Mexican feast for all the family (we'll be starting with the Margaritas!)

Food:

Chilli con carne

Cornbread

Accompaniments

Cocktails:

Speedy Margaritas

Why we love this menu:

It’s easy to make in advance

It works out as less than £1.50 a head

Kids and adults alike love it –just serve the chillies separately

It can be easily adapted for veggies – just make a version with veggie mince instead of beef mince
It’s perfect hangover food the next day, if there’s any left over

CHILLI CON CARNE

4 onions

2 cloves garlic

4 tablespoons olive oil

2 teaspoons dried or crushed

chillies, or to taste

2 teaspoons ground coriander

2 teaspoons ground cumin

5 cardamom pods, bruised

2 red peppers

1.5kg minced beef

4 x 400g cans chopped tomatoes

8 tablespoons tomato ketchup

8 tablespoons tomato purée

250ml water

2 tablespoons cocoa

2 x 400g cans red kidney beans

DIRECTIONS

Peel and finely chop the onions. Mince or finely chop the garlic.

Heat the oil in a large pan and fry the onion and garlic until it begins to soften.

Add the chilli, coriander, cumin and crushed cardamom pods, and stir well.

Deseed and finely dice the red peppers, add to pan.

Break up the minced beef into the pan and separate it as the meat browns.

Add the chopped tomatoes, kidney beans, ketchup, purée and water, stirring to make a rich red sauce. When the chilli starts to bubble, sprinkle over the cocoa and stir it in.

Simmer partially covered for 1  1/2 hours. (At this point you can cool and freeze the chilli, or just keep it in the fridge overnight. I always think it tastes better when it’s been reheated, the flavours don’t get hotter but just intensify.)

Preheat the oven to gas mark 7/220°C. Tip the chilli into a large, wide dish or keep in the pan if it is ovenproof.

CORNBREAD

INGREDIENTS

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

650g cornmeal, Anson Mills is the best (Yellow Coarse) or if you can’t get hold of that buy the best organic cornmeal you can find.

4 tablespoons plain flour

6 teaspoons baking powder

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

750ml buttermilk

4 eggs

2 teaspoons honey

4 tablespoons vegetable oil

DIRECTIONS

Mix the salt, cornmeal, flour, baking powder and cinnamon in a bowl.

Whisk together the buttermilk, eggs, honey and oil in a jug, and then stir into the dry ingredients, mixing to make a bright yellow batter.

Option 1. Pour the cornmeal batter over the chilli con carne, or blob it over to cover the top as evenly as possible. Don’t worry if some of the chilli seeps through.  Bake in the oven for 30 minutes or until the cornbread has risen and is golden, and the chilli underneath is bubbling.

Option 2. Bake separately in the oven until puffy, golden brown, and just set, for about 35 minutes at gas mark 4, about 180°C

Let the chilli stand for about 5 minutes once out of the oven before cutting the warm cornbread into squares or slices to serve with a helping of chilli underneath.

ACCOMPANIMENTS

Serve with guacamole, sour cream sprinkled with paprika, and a mounded pile of strong grated Cheddar.

Easy Guacamole

4 ripe avocados

4 spring onions, finely chopped

juice of 2 limes

4 tablespoons chopped coriander

2 tablespoons sour cream, yoghurt or mayo

Mash the ripe avocados with the finely chopped spring onions and add the lime juice and some salt to taste. Stir in some sour cream, yoghurt or mayo until you reach the right consistency, just dropping off the spoon.

Finally, serve with Dandelion and Burdock for the kids, and a good Mexican beer for the adults…. And a little tequila shot apiece… Arriba!!

Over to you Kath, our resident cocktail Queen

Speedy Margaritas

This is really easy to make in large quantities, and if it lacks a little flair and finesse, well, no-one seems to be complaining much.

You will need:
• 2 parts tequila, as good as you can afford
• 2 parts 7 up or sprite
• 1 part Cointreau or triple sec
• 1 part freshly squeezed lime juice
• Salt to taste

Mix together, strain through ice and serve.

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