I hadn’t tried tacos until quite recently, but I’m a
total convert now – it’s something about the crunch of the tacos with the spicy
chilli sauce, plus all the scrummy extra bits (melted cheese, sour cream and
gorgeous fresh avocado). Plus, there’s the fact that you load it all up and
then just eat it with your fingers, making a glorious, delicious mess – it’s
perfect sharing food.
Ingredients
300g beef mince
1 large onion
3 big tbsps of tomato puree
100g dried black beans (I used Cool Chile Co)
Smoked paprika
Curry powder
A splash of Worcester sauce
A spoonful of chipotle chilli paste
Salt & black pepper
Olive oil
To serve:
Grated cheddar
1 fresh avocado cut into slices
Sour cream
8 taco shells
Serves 2
If you’re using dried black beans, like the ones I
mentioned above, you’ll need to soak them beforehand – stick them in a jug with
about 200ml water, after breakfast, and just leave them during the day.
Alternatively, you can buy black beans in a tin, but I really like the dried
ones.
When you’re ready to do the rest, pour the beans and
soaking liquid into a small pan and bring to a simmer over a medium heat. If
you’re using Cool Chile Co beans, add a good sprinkling of the lovely spice mix
that comes with them – otherwise, use a spoonful of smoked paprika. Stir
through and leave the beans to bubble gently for about 10 minutes.
Next, finely dice the onion and get it sizzling in a
large pan with a drizzle of olive oil. Once it starts to turn translucent, add
a teaspoonful each of smoked paprika and curry powder, and stir to coat the
onions, then pop in the mince and break up with a wooden spoon. When the mince
starts to lose its pink colour (don’t leave it too long, or it’ll start drying
out), add the tomato puree and about 200ml of water, and give it all a good
stir to combine.
By now, the beans should be ready – drain and add to the
sauce, along with the Worcester sauce and chipotle chilli paste, and season
well. Put the lid on and turn the heat down to low – leave it to simmer for
about half an hour. Have a taste after about ten minutes, and see if it needs
anything else – if the sauce is tasting a bit flat, add some more curry powder.
It’s the perfect ingredient for pepping up a tomato sauce (I put it in
spaghetti sauce too).
When you’re ready to serve, pop the tacos in the oven to
warm up. Peel the avocado and cut into slices, and grate the cheddar. Finally,
stick everything on the table and let people help themselves – spoon a bit of
chilli sauce into a taco (not too much or you won’t have room for anything
else!), then top with cheddar, avocado and a bit of sour cream. Gorgeous!