Look at this bowl of goodness, full of aromatic and spicy flavours that will warm you up, fill you up and give you a lot of energy. This dish originated in Northern Mexico or Southern Texas is known as Chilli (in the US and Canada) or Chilli con Carne (in Australia and the UK) and is a beef stew cooked with onion, tomatoes, spices and beans. The latter has been disputed by chilli fanatics as the earliest chillis did not contain beans at all. Chilli con Carne should be cooked for at least 45 minutes, however the longer it simmers on the hob, the better it gets – its flavours develop, the meat is more tender, and the sauce becomes richer. I serve chilli with fluffy rice, a dash of sour cream and avocado, but you can eat it with tortillas or tacos. Find the recipe here..
Mexican Black Beans with Tomatoes and Totopos
This is a simple side dish, full of Mexican flavours and heat, cooked from ingredients everyone has on hand. The delicious, albeit quite an apparent combination of black beans and tomatoes has been enhanced with spicy chilli flakes and aromatic ground cumin. Mexican Black Beans with Tomatoes get more flavour with time, so prepare this dish in advance and keep it in the fridge at least overnight. Reheat and serve warm with tacos or Mexican crisps Totopos. Find the recipe here.
Sunny Ratatouille
Ratatouille is a traditional Provençal vegetable stew, fragrant with garlic and thyme. It is excellent to have it on hand for a quick lunch or as a side dish for dinner. You can serve it warm or cold, on rice, with roast meat or a baguette. Aubergine, courgette, onion and pepper must be cooked separately in olive oil before being combined with diced tomatoes, tomato paste, chopped garlic, and herbs and stewed until all vegetables are tender. Use the vegetable at the peak of the season; then, you will get the perfect flavourful Ratatouille. Find the recipe here