Hot and spicy Mexican - recipes

Published Feb 29, 2016

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Angela Day

 

Give your taste buds a kickstart with these recipes from Angela Day.

 

ON THE MENU:

Chicken quesadillas

Spicy beef chilli

Chile con queso dip

Easy refried beans

Mole mince with sweet potatoes

Mexican style chicken salad

 

 

CHICKEN QUESADILLAS

Makes 4

30ml olive oil

1 red onion, sliced

1 each small red, yellow and orange pepper, thinly sliced

1 red chilli, seeded and chopped

500ml cooked shredded chicken

8 flour tortillas

250g grated cheese

Heat the oil and fry the onion, peppers and chilli until soft. Remove from the heat and add the chicken.

Place a tortilla in the base of a frying pan. Cover with a layer of cheese. Spread over a layer of the pepper and chicken mixture and sprinkle over more grated cheese. Top with another flour tortilla.

Heat the frying pan and cook until the bottom tortilla is golden.

Carefully flip it over and cook until golden and the cheese is melted.

Remove and cut into wedges to serve.

Repeat with remaining tortilla, chicken and cheese.

 

SPICY BEEF CHILLI

Serves 4-6

45ml olive oil

1kg blade of beef, diced

2 onions, chopped

20ml chopped garlic

2 large green peppers, diced

1 box of chilli con carne spice mix

400g tin of chopped tomatoes

330ml bottle of cider or beer

1 bay leaf

salt and pepper

400g tin of red kidney beans, drained and rinsed

Heat the oil and fry the meat in batches until nicely browned. Remove and set aside.

Add the onions, garlic and green pepper and fry until soft.

Return the beef to the pot. Add the spice mix and fry for a minute. Add the tomatoes, cider, bay leaf and seasoning.

Bring to the boil and simmer, covered, for 1-2 hours until the meat is very tender.

Stir in the kidney beans and heat through.

This is delicious served with refried beans and topped with a dollop of sour cream and some chopped tomatoes and avocado.

NOTE: Chilli con carne spice mix is available at Woolworths.

 

CHILE CON QUESO DIP

60g butter

1 onion, chopped

1 large mild red and green chilli, seeded and chopped

10ml chopped garlic

45ml flour

300ml milk

250ml tinned chopped tomatoes

200g mature cheddar cheese, grated

125ml sour cream

salt and pepper

125ml chopped coriander

tortilla chips for serving

Melt the butter in a pot. Fry the onion, chillies and garlic until soft.

Stir in the flour and cook for a minute.

Gradually stir in the milk and cook, stirring, until the mixture boils and thickens.

Add the tomatoes, and simmer for 10 minutes. Gradually stir in the cheese until melted.

Add sour cream, seasoning and coriander.

 

EASY REFRIED BEANS

Serves 4-6

45ml olive oil

1 large onion, chopped

10ml chopped garlic

1 large mild red chilli, seeded and chopped

5ml ground cumin

400g tin of borlotti beans, drained and rinsed

400g tin of red kidney beans, drained and rinsed

125ml water

250ml grated cheddar cheese

salt and pepper

Heat the oil and fry the onion, garlic and chilli until soft. Add the cumin and cook for a minute.

Add the beans and water and simmer covered for 10 minutes.

Remove from the heat and mash with a potato masher.

Mix through the cheese and seasoning.

Serve at room temperature with tortilla chips.

 

MOLE MINCE WITH SWEET POTATOES

Serves 6-8

6-8 orange sweet potatoes

olive oil

salt and pepper

30 extra olive oil

1 onion, chopped

15ml chopped garlic

500g beef mince

10ml chilli powder

5ml ground cumin

5ml ground coriander

5ml paprika

3ml ground allspice

15ml cocoa powder

60ml almond or peanut butter

250ml beef stock

400g tin of chopped tomatoes

Halve the sweet potatoes. Rub with olive oil and seasoning. Place on a baking tray and roast at 180degC for 30 minutes until tender.

Heat the olive oil and fry the onion and garlic until soft.

Add the mince and fry, breaking up the lumps with a wooden spoon.

Stir in the spices and cocoa powder and cook for 1-2 minutes.

Add the almond butter, stock and tomatoes and mix well.

Simmer over a medium heat for 20 minutes until the mixture has thickened.

Serve spooned over the sweet potatoes. Top with grated cheese and diced avocado and tomato if desired.

 

MEXICAN STYLE CHICKEN SALAD

Serves 4-6

4 chicken breast fillets

30ml olive oil

30-40 ml Cajun spice

1 red onion, thinly sliced

1 avocado pear, diced

3 ripe tomatoes, seeded and diced

1 green jalapeno chilli, seeded and chopped

125ml chopped coriander

1 baby cos lettuce

250ml nachos chips, slightly crushed

salt and pepper

DRESSING

45ml lime juice

60ml olive oil

10ml honey

1 mild red chilli, seeded and chopped

5ml Cajun spice

Rub the chicken breasts with olive oil and Cajun spice. Cook on a griddle pan. Remove and set aside to cool. Cut into chunks or slices.

Combine with the onion, avocado pear, tomato, chilli and coriander.

Line a serving dish with lettuce and pile on the salad.

Pour over the dressing and scatter over the chips. Serve immediately.

The Angela Day cookery column is published in The Star, the Cape Argus, the Daily News and the Pretoria News.

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