CHILLI BLACK BEANS WITH JALAPEÑO SALSA

SERVES 6–8

Like many of the other Mexican recipes featured in this section, these are great with all the meats to make a fresh taco, or served first with corn chips. I also love the beans with a fried, boiled or poached egg on top. Breakfast taco, anyone?

CHILLI BLACK BEANS

2 teaspoons olive oil

1 brown onion, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

150 g (5½ oz) speck or pancetta, finely chopped

3 fresh long red chillies, finely chopped

1 teaspoon sweet paprika

large pinch of cayenne pepper

400 g (14 oz) tinned chopped tomatoes

2 teaspoons brown sugar

15 g (½ oz/¼ cup) finely chopped coriander (cilantro) root

400 g (14 oz) tinned black beans, rinsed and drained

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

JALAPEÑO SALSA

60 g (2¼ oz/¼ cup) sliced pickled jalapeños

3 tablespoons pickled jalapeño brine

small handful coriander (cilantro) leaves

2 spring onions (scallions), roughly chopped

soft tortillas, to serve

Preheat the oven to 220°C (425°F/Gas 7).

Heat the oil in a large non-stick frying pan over high heat. Add the onion, garlic and speck or pancetta and cook for 5 minutes or until the onion is soft. Add the chilli, paprika and cayenne pepper and cook for a further 2 minutes.

Add the tomatoes, sugar, coriander root, black beans, salt and pepper, reduce the heat to medium and cook for 10 minutes or until slightly thickened. Set aside and keep warm.

For the salsa, place the jalapeño, brine, coriander and spring onion in a food processor and process until roughly chopped. Set aside.

Serve the salsa with the warm chilli black beans and soft tortillas.