Chicken enchiladas

Chicken Enchiladas

• 2 chicken breasts (cut into bite sized pieces)
• 4 flour tortillas
• 1 tin of black beans (or kidney or pinto beans, drained and rinsed)
• 1 red onion, thinly sliced
• Handful of finely chopped coriander
• Good few handfuls of grated cheese
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 2 tbsp plain flour
• 2 tbsp chilli powder
• 1/2 tsp garlic pwder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp ground cumin
• 1/4 tsp dried oregano
• 450ml chicken stock

Method:

To make the sauce, heat the oil in a medium sized saucepan, add the flour and whisk through over the heat for around a minute.  Add the remaining seasonings (don't have your head to near the pan as you will get a hit of the chilli!!) and stir through until combined.  Gradually whisk in the stock, continue to whisk in order to remove any lumps.  Turn down the heat and simmer for 15 minutes until thickened.

Whilst the sauce is thickening, heat some oil in a frying pan and cook the chicken for 10-15 minutes until cooked through.  You can add a few grinds of black pepper to the chicken or even some taco/fajita seasoning, for an extra hit of flavour.

Once the chicken has cooked and the sauce is done, we are now ready to assemble our enchiladas.  Coat each tortilla with some of the enchilada sauce.  Put a line of beans down the middle of the tortilla, top with some of the red onion, chicken and cheese then roll until you have a fat cigar shape which you place into an oven proof dish along with the other enchiladas.  You want a dish that the enchiladas just fit into, that way you ensure they don't open up whilst being cooked.  Drizzle any remaining sauce over the top of the enchiladas, top with more cheese and cook in a preheated oven (180 degrees) for around 10-15 minutes or until the cheese is nice and gooey.  Garnish the enchiladas with some chopped coriander and serve.

We had the enchiladas with some cheesy nachos, topped with sour cream and salsa and of course some freshly made guacamole.  Don't be put off by the amount of chilli powder in this recipe, it does even out in the cooking process, trust me!  Also when adding some sour cream that will have a cooling effect.  However if you are a real heat fiend you can always add some chopped jalapenos to the chicken and bean mix to really spice it up.

Whilst I dare say it myself, these are some of the best enchiladas I've had, the sauce is so quick and easy to make and if you have any leftovers it can be stored in the fridge for a few days or if you have made up a batch, freeze whatever is left, but believe me, this sauce wont hang around for too long, especially once your friends and family get to try it!

Mexican Meatball Tortilla

Mexican Meatball Tortilla

For the tomato sauce

• 35ml extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 onion finely chopped
• 2 cloves of garlic finely chopped
• 2 X 400g tins of chopped tomatoes
• Pinch of sugar

For the meatballs

• 1 red onion, grated
• 1 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 1 red chilli finely chopped, remove the seeds for less heat
• Splash of olive oil
• 500g beef mince

• 4 tortillas
• Tbsp chopped jalapeños
• Grated mozzarella cheese
• Kankun chipotle sauce
• Kankun habanero sauce
• Thinly sliced pepper
• Thinly sliced red onion
• Sour cream
• Pea shoots

Method:-

To make the tomato sauce, heat the oil in a large frying pan then add the onion and garlic and fry over a gentle heat for 5-6 minutes, stirring often until softened but not coloured.  Add the chopped tomatoes with the sugar, season well and turn the heat up so the sauce is bubbling gently, cook for 40 minutes, stirring often.

Meanwhile make the meatballs.  Put all the ingredients apart from the oil in a bowl.  Season and mix with your hands then roll into 24 walnut sized balls.  Heat the oven to 220 degrees or 200 for fan assisted.  Heat the oil in a frying pan over a high heat.  When hot add the meatballs, frying on all sides for 5-6 minutes until golden.  Drop them into the sauce for the last 5 minutes of cooking.

Place your tortillas onto baking trays, spread a tbsp of Kankun chipotle sauce over each base then sprinkle a handful of the grated mozzarella over the top of each tortilla.  Divide the meatballs and sauce over each tortilla and add a further handful of mozzarella over the top.  Add the peppers, red onion and jalapeño and place into the oven for around 10 minutes until the cheese has melted.  Remove from the oven, dollop some sour cream over each tortilla along with a few shakes of the Kankun habanero sauce and garnish with the pea shoots.  This is a really tasty dinner and quick and easy to make.

Tostadas Deluxe

Tostadas Deluxe

• 2 tbsp light olive oil or vegetable oil
• 400g tin pinto or black beans drained
• 1 medium clove garlic, finely chopped
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1 small red onion finely chopped
• 2 ripe tomatoes finely chopped
• 1 tbsp chopped jalapeño
• 1 avocado, halved, stoned, peeled and cut into small cubes
• 1 tbsp finely chopped coriander 
• 1 tbsp lime juice (approx half a lime)
• 1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
• 2 ready made corn/flour tortillas
• 100g feta cheese, crumbled
• Pinch of sea salt 

Method:-

Heat the oil in a medium frying pan, add the beans and partially mash them with a fork, then add the garlic, ground cumin and jalapeño, fry for 5 minutes.

In a medium bowl, mix together the red onion, tomato, avocado, coriander and a pinch of sea salt.  Add the lime juice and extra virgin olive oil and toss the ingredients together.

Heat the tortillas in the microwave for a minute.

To assemble the tostadas, spread the bean mixture over the base of each tortilla, then spoon the salad mix over the top and finish with a crumbling of the feta cheese.  For an extra kick I also added Kankun habanero sauce over the top.  This is an ideal meat free Monday dinner with plenty of flavour.  

Recipe courtesy of Mary McCartney "At My Table"

Mexican Open Omelette

Mexican Open Omelette

• 2 tsps olive oil
• Handful of chopped jalapeño peppers
• 1/2 diced red onion
• 1 clove of garlic minced
• Handful of cherry tomatoes, halved
• 4 eggs, whisked
• Handful of chopped coriander 
• Handful of crumbled feta & cheddar cheese

Method:-
Heat the oil in a medium sized frying pan.  Add the onion and sauté for 3 minutes then add the garlic and tomatoes and sauté for a further 3 minutes.  Once done transfer to a plate and leave to one side.  

Preheat your grill to high.  Return the pan to the stove, add the whisked eggs and cook for around 5 minutes.  Cover the omelette with the cheddar cheese and place the pan under the grill until the cheese has melted and the omelette has puffed up slightly (remember to make sure the handle of the frying pan is outside the oven).  Transfer the omelette to a plate, scatter over the tomato and onion mixture along with the jalapeños, feta and coriander.

This was a late breakfast which was quick and easy to make and oh so tasty.  I drizzled some Kankun habanero and jalapeño sauce over the top for an extra zing.  An ideal recipe for breakfast, lunch and dinner.  Avocado would be great with this as well, unfortunately the "perfectly ripe avocados " I had ordered were far from ripe!  Oh well, there is always next time.

Mexican tuna nicoise

Mexican tuna nicoise

Well, originally we were due to have tuna salad this evening however it was pretty chilly out and I got to thinking what can I do to pep this up, and this is what I came up with and boy was it tasty....

• 1 red pepper thinly sliced
• 2 flour tortillas
• 2 tbsp of kankun chipotle sauce
• 1/4 block of feta cheese (cubed)
• 4 tbsp sweetcorn
• 1 jar of line caught tuna
• Couple of handfuls of pea shoots
• Handful of sliced black olives
• 2 soft boiled eggs
• Drizzle of rapeseed vinaigrette

Method:-

Spread the kankun sauce over the flour tortillas, place on a baking tray and place in the oven at 200 degrees for around 10 minutes.  Once done remove and leave to one side to cool slightly.  Bring to the boil a small pan of water and boil the eggs for 5 and a half minutes, then rinse under cold water to stop the cooking process.  

Scatter the pea shoots over the tortillas along with the sweetcorn and sliced peppers.  Break up the tuna and place on top of the tortilla and crumble the feta on the top and scatter the black olives over it.  Carefully peel the soft boiled egg and place on top of each tortilla.  Drizzle with the rapeseed dressing (or dressing of choice) cut into the egg so the yolk oozes out and enjoy.

I really hope you enjoy this as much as we did, was something different and spur of the moment and it worked.

Mexican Lasagne

Mexican Lasagna

For the Sauce

• 1 Tbsp garlic infused olive oil
• 1 Onion (peeled and chopped)
• 1 Red pepper (deseeded and chopped)
• 2 Green bird’s eye chillies (chopped with seeds)
• 1 Tsp sea salt flakes
• 2 Tbsp fresh coriander stalks (finely chopped)
• 800g Chopped tomatoes (2 cans)
• 400ml Water (swilled in empty cans)
• 1 Tbsp tomato ketchup
• Dash of Kankun Habanero sauce

For the Filling

• 800g Black beans (2 cans) drained and rinsed
• 500g Canned sweetcorn kernels (2 cans) drained
• 250g Grated mature cheddar
• 8 Soft flour tortillas

You will need a round ovenproof dish, approx. 26cm in diameter X 6cm deep.

 Preheat the oven to 200 degrees, slipping in a baking tray at the same time.

Method:-

To make the sauce, heat the oil in a pan on the stove and fry the onion, pepper and chilli, add the salt and cook gently for 15 minutes and once soft, add the chopped coriander stalks.  Add the canned tomatoes, then swill the cans out with the water and add this too.  Spoon in the ketchup and Kankun Habanero sauce and let things come to a simmer, leaving the sauce to cook while you get on with preparing the filling (about 10 minutes).

To make the filling, mix the drained beans and sweetcorn in a bowl.  Add most of the grated cheese, reserving some to sprinkle on the top at the end, mix together.

Start to assemble the lasagna by spooning about a third of the sauce into the bottom of your ovenproof dish and smearing it about, then layer 2 tortillas so that they cover the sauce, overlapping slightly.  Add a third of the beans and cheese mixture, covering the tortillas and then about a quarter of the remaining sauce and another tortillas.  Repeat with another third of beans and cheese, and some more sauce before layering on another 2 tortillas.  Finally add the last layer of beans and cheese, nearly all the remaining sauce and cover with the last 2 tortillas.  Spread the last bit of sauce over the tortillas and sprinkle with the remaining cheese.  Bake in the oven for 30 minutes and let it rest for a good 10-15 minutes before slicing like a pizza.

This lasagna is great with a fresh crisp salad.  As an alternative you can make a chilli and add that to the lasagne as shown in the photograph above.

Recipe courtesy of Nigella Lawson  

Kankun Chilli Con Carne

Kankun Chilli Con Carne

• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 2 Onions chopped
• 1 Large red pepper chopped
• 2 Garlic cloves minced
• 1kg lean beef mince
• 2x400g cans chopped tomatoes
• 2x400g cans red kidney beans (rinsed and drained)
• 1 Tsp ground cumin
• 1 Tsp ground coriander
• 1 Bottle of Kankun Chipotle Sauce
• 1 Beef stock cube
• Salt & Pepper
• 1 Large bunch coriander leaves, roughly chopped

 Method :-

Heat the oil in a large heavy-based saucepan with a lid and fry the onion, pepper and garlic until softened.  Increase the heat and add the mince, cooking quickly until browned and breaking down any chunks of meat with a wooden spoon.  Once browned, drain off any excess fat, stir in the tomatoes, bottle of Kankun chipotle sauce, cumin, coriander and crumble in the stock cube.  Season well with salt & pepper and add some water to loosen the dish up.  Bring to a simmer, cover with a lid and cook over a gentle heat for about 50 minutes, stirring occasionally until the mixture is rich and thickened.  Add the kidney beans and fresh coriander, cook for a further 10 minutes uncovered.  Serve with rice, guacamole, sour cream and green salad.

Recipe courtesy of Kankun Sauce

Kankun Chicken Fajitas

Kankun Chicken Fajitas

To celebrate Cinco de Mayo during the month of May, I will be showcasing a number of Mexican recipes courtesy of Kankun Sauce.  They have a range of sauces which are incorporated in the recipes.  For those of you who haven't tried them I would certainly recommend you give them a go.  The Habanero is not for the faint hearted, a few splashes is all you need to lift a dish!  I have used the whole range and they are now my sauce of choice, packed full of flavour, I seriously can't get enough of them.  

Follow the links to their website which has details of stockists and further recipes, there is even a chance to win a holiday to Mexico! Visit the Kankun Website and try your luck to Win a holiday to Mexico

• 450 g Skinless chicken breast
• 8 Corn tortillas or flour tortillas
• 1 Medium bell pepper sliced into strips
• 1 Medium sliced red onion
• 1/3 Cup chopped fresh coriander
• 1/2 Tbsp ground garlic
• 1/2 Tbsp ground coriander
• 1/2 Tbsp ground cumin
• Juice of 1 lime
• Olive oil, salt, pepper
• KANKUN® CHIPOTLE SAUCE

Method:

Mix coriander, garlic, cumin, lime juice.

Add 2 tbsp of KANKUN® CHIPOTLE SAUCE and 2 tbsp of oil, and season with salt and pepper.

Add the chicken. Set the chicken aside for at least 10 minutes.

Heat a grill pan, once hot, add the chicken pieces, leave to cook until brown for about 10 minutes.

Remove the chicken and let it rest .

Place pepper and onions in a bowl, drizzle with oil, season with salt and pepper.

Return the grill pan to medium heat and add the vegetables in a single layer. Cook, stirring occasionally until tender for about 10 minutes.

Place the chicken and vegetables in a serving dish.

Warm the tortillas in a frying pan for 1 min and wrap them in a clean dishtowel to keep warm.

To serve, place the warm tortillas on a plate and spread with KANKUN® CHIPOTLE SAUCE . Fill each tortilla with chicken and vegetables and top with guacamole, refried beans, and sour cream (optional).