Here is a collection of Mexican recipes we have found and cooked over the years plus a few submitted ones we have received. If the chillis aren't available try sustituting with a similar chilli, but don't mix up the annuums with the chinense varieties as they have a completely different flavour.

Sauces

Chipotle Sauce

1 Ancho chilli
5 chipotle chillis
5 garlic cloves, roasted
2 tbls red onion
3 fl oz white wine vinegar
3 fl oz water
6 fl oz orange juice
pinch of ground cloves
pinch of ground cumin
4 tsp honey
1 tsp of cocoa powder

Rehydrate the dried chillis in hot water until softened and remove seeds and stem. Blend all ingredients in food processor until smooth. Heat in saucepan to nearly a boil and remove from heat.

Grilled Tomato Sauce

4 tomatoes
2 Jalapeno / Serrano green chillis
handful of coriander
1 oz red onion
juice of a lemon

Grill tomatoes and chillis until charred and blistered, remove skins, stalks and seeds from chillis. Blitz everything in blender and refrigerate until required.

Chilli BBQ Sauce

5 tbls tomato ketchup
2 tbls honey
3 tbls soy sauce
3 tbls cider vinegar
300ml chicken stock
1 tsp tomato puree
1 tsp smokey chilli powder

Combine all ingredients in a saucepan and reduce to required consistency

Tomatillo Sauce

4 tomatillos
small onion
1 clove garlic
pinch of roasted cumin
300ml chicken stock
5 long green chillis
3 Jalapeño chillis
1 tsp fresh oregano
salt n pepper

Chargrill tomatillos, onion, garlic and all chillis on a skillet. When they start blistering and charring remove and rub off all skins. Add all ingredients into food processor with some stock and blitz adding enough stock for required consistency.

Tomato Salsa

2 large tomatoes
1 tbls red onion
1 large green chilli your choice
2 tbls fresh coriander
1 fresh lime
salt

Chop tomatoes, onion and chilli and combine with chopped coriander and squeeze over fresh lime juice, season to taste with salt. Try substituting rehydrated Chipotles for the green chilli.

Mexican Red Chilli Sauce

2 new Mexican red dried chillis
tin of good quality chopped tomatoes
2 red onions
2 garlic cloves
3 tbls tom puree
1 tsp roasted ground cumin
1 tsp roasted ground coriander
1 tsp honey
1.5 tbls cider vinegar

Rehydrate chillis, reserving liquid. Blitz chillis and tomatoes in food processor. Fry onion and garlic until soft and add all ingredients, cover and simmer for about 10 minutes using reserved liquid from dried chillis to adjust consistency.

Chipotle Salsa

10 chipotle chillis
6 cloves garlic
2 red onions
2 large ripe tomatoes
good handful fresh coriander
small tin anchovies
slug of olive oil

Rehydrate Chipotles and blend with coriander anchovies and oil until fairly smooth dice up onions and tomatoes and mix with sauce.
Good as a dip, tossing into chargrilled vegetables, or spreading onto toasted Italian breads.

Green Chilli & Coriander Salsa

6 fresh green chillis
handful of Coriander
1 garlic clove
thick slice of bread
cider vinegar
lemon olive oil
1tbls fresh grated ginger
ground coriander and cumin seeds

Blend all ingredients in food processor using equal quantity of oil and vinegar to make a thickish sauce, use about 0.5 tsp of ground coriander and cumin seeds to taste and chill to let flavours develop.

Habanero Hot Pepper Sauce

12 Habanero or scotch bonnets
1 large tomato
1 red onion
1 clove garlic
squeeze of fresh lime
6 fl oz cider vinegar

Grill garlic, quartered onion and tomato under hot grill until charring begins. Skin tomato and blitz in a blender with seeded chillis, garlic, onion and lime juice. Heat vinegar in a pan and stir in the blended sauce, simmer for a couple of minutes. Leave to cool and seal into sterilised jar and keep in fridge until needed, it should keep for a few months.

Jerk Sauce

10 spring onions
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground coriander
4 Habanero chillis or scotch bonnet
2 fl oz olive oil
2 fl oz tamarind paste
2 fl oz cider vinegar
3 tbls ground allspice
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1 tsp oregano
2 tbls dark rum
2 fl oz balsamic vinegar
2 garlic cloves

Combine all ingredients in food processor and blend until smooth, leave overnight before use to let flavours develop.
Dip fish or meat in sauce before baking or use as a dipping sauce for grilled or deep fried vegetables.

Jalapeño Mayonnaise

4 tbls mayonnaise
2 Jalapeño's
1lemon
salt and pepper

Finely dice Jalapeño's, zest the lemon and mix in with the mayonnaise. Add a squeeze of lemon juice and season with salt and pepper. Great in sandwiches.

Chipotle & Tomatillo Salsa

2 pounds tomatillos
2 cloves garlic
4 Chipotles from the chipotle pickle
Handful fresh coriander
250ml vegetable stock
1 lime

Dice tomatillos, crush and chop garlic, chop Chipotles and coriander and saute. Add stock and juice from lime and simmer for about 20 minutes.

Chipotle Mayonnaise

2 Chipotles from the chipotle pickle
2 tsp sauce from the chipotle pickle
4 tbls mayonnaise
4 tbls soured cream or yogurt

Puree the chipotle with the pickle sauce. Add the puréed mix to the mayonnaise and soured cream and stir together well. Good on hot and cold meats, salads and makes a great dip for raw vegetables and tortillas.

Fiery Chilli Baste

2 tbls muscovado sugar
5 tbls tomato ketchup
6 tbls cider vinegar
2 tbls Worcestershire sauce
1/4 onion finely chopped
2 tsp chilli powder
1 or 2 finely chopped chillis of your choice

Dissolve sugar in 6 fl oz of water in a heavy based saucepan. When dissolved add remaining ingredients and bring to boil. Simmer until reduced to required consistency and use to baste meat or vegetables

BBQ Roasted Tomato Salsa

4 medium tomatoes
1 red pepper
3 Jalapeño's
2 cloves garlic
4 spring onions
2 tbls fresh coriander
1 lime
pinch salt

Char tomatoes, pepper and Jalapeño's on a grill over a BBQ until skins blacken and split, set aside and leave to cool. Skin and de-seed tomatoes and remove the skin, stems and seeds from the peppers. Chop all ingredients and mix together with the crushed garlic, chopped spring onions, coriander, lime juice and salt.

Roja Salsa

6 large tomatoes
1 small red onion
3 garlic cloves
2-3 hot chillis - Habanero or Jalapeño
2-3 fl oz water

Char all vegetables under a hot grill. Transfer all ingredients to food processor and blend until smooth using necessary water.
Good red sauce to serve with anything from tortilla chips to fried eggs.

Snack & Starters

 

Quesadillas

8 soft tortillas
4 oz refried beans
6 oz cheddar cheese
3 oz mozzarella
4 green chillis

Spread refried beans on one half of the tortillas, divide cheeses and thinly sliced chillis between tortillas and put on top of beans. Fold tortilla over top of filling and press edges firmly together to seal, if necessary pin together with cocktail sticks. Fry in about 1 inch of oil until crisp and brown, dry on absorbent paper and serve with guacamole, salsa and sour cream.

 

Guacamole Dip

1 ripe avocado
1 ripe tomato
handful of fresh coriander
1 green chilli
Juice of 1 lemon
1 spring onion
1 tbls Philadelphia cream cheese

Chop and dice tomato, chilli and spring onion. Mash avocado in a bowl mix with lemon juice and philadelphia cheese and stir in rest of ingredients, season with salt and pepper.

Jalapeño Poppers

24 Jalapenos
4 oz goats cheese, feta or similar soft cheese
2 garlic cloves
1 tsp fresh rosemary
4 eggs
4tbls milk
seasoned flour
bread crumbs or couscous

Carefully remove seeds and pith from chillis from the top end and stuff with cheese, garlic and rosemary mixture. Beat eggs with milk. Dip chillis into egg mix then roll in flour and then crumbs or couscous, repeat this procedure and then deep fry until golden.

Prawn Empanadas

2 tbls olive oil
1 red onion
2 garlic cloves
4 tbls tomato puree
1 lb cooked prawns
2 fresh green chillis
2 rehydrated Mexican red chillis
good pinch of ground cumin and allspice
good pinch of oregano
1 tbls fresh lemon juice
tortillas

Fry chopped red onions, garlic, chillis, spices and herbs until onion has softened, add lemon juice, tomato puree and prawns, cook for a few minutes and set aside to cool. Place a spoonful or two onto half a side of a tortilla and fold over, dampen and press edges together to seal. Deep fry until crisp and brown.

Avocados with Chipotle Sauce

large avocado
3 tbls chipotle sauce
4 sundried tomatoes in oil
1 lime

Half avocado, take out stone and remove flesh in two halves. Slice and fan out avocado and squeeze over juice of half a lime. Puree sun dried tomatoes chipotle sauce and a splash of water in a blender, and spoon over avocado and garnish with rest of lime cut into slices.

Pickled Chillis

500g mixed hot, mild and sweet peppers
3 tbls sea salt
6 garlic cloves
handful of coriander
about 1/2 pint of cider vinegar
3 tbls olive oil

Place peppers into a glass bowl and cover with the salt turning occasionally for about 2 hours. Heat oil in large pan and throw in the roughly chopped garlic until it sizzles and peppers and coriander for about 2 minutes, do not let peppers soften. Turn into sterilized jars and cover with boiling cider vinegar, leaving slight gap at top. Seal jars and place into boiling water for 15 minutes, remove jars, cool and label and keep for at least 2 weeks before trying.

Eggs Rancheros

4 tbls olive oil
4 tortillas
8 eggs
2 oz feta or similar cheese
any chilli sauce from sauces list

Fry tortillas 1 at a time in 3 tbls of oil, set aside and keep warm. Fry the eggs in twos. Place two fried eggs on a tortilla, spoon over quantity of chilli sauce and crumble on some cheese.

Grilled Stuffed Chillis

8 large stuffable chillis
8 thin slices ham
2 oz cream cheese or boursin
2 oz mozzarella
1 lemon

Place whole chillis under a hot grill and cook all over until they just start to blister. Remove and rub off charred shins, and slit down one side. Scoop out all the pith and seeds. Place a small amount of cream cheese on a slice of ham and roll up, insert into chilli, squeeze over some fresh lemon and put a slice of mozzarella on top. Finish off back under the grill until cheese bubbles.

Bacon Wrapped Jalapeño's (submitted)

20-25 Jalapeño's cut lengthwise and seeded
softened cream cheese
bacon slices cut in half

Stuff the Jalapeño's with cream cheese, wrap a half slice of bacon around each and secure with a toothpick. Place on a broiling pan with rack.
Bake in a 425 degree oven for 20-25 minutes or until bacon is cooked and cheese is slightly browned.
You can use lower fat cream cheese and a third of a slice of bacon to reduce your fat.
(pull the bacon to stretch it.)

Corn & Poblano Soup

1lb sweetcorn (preferably very fresh)
2 poblano chilli peppers
750ml chicken stock
250ml single cream or soured cream
1 onion

In a large pan sauté the diced up onion and chillis for a few minutes, then add the cooked corn kernels and cook for another few minutes.
Add mixture to a food processor with some stock and blend until smooth. Return to pan add remaining stock and simmer, season with salt as required. After 10 minutes turn heat to very low and stir in cream and serve.
Garnish with finely diced chilli peppers and a swirl of cream.

Bite Size Chilli Pancakes

1 egg
150ml milk
125g self raising flour
1 tbsp mashed potato
2 green Jalapeño chillis or similar
2 spring onions
1oz grated cheese
3oz diced goats cheese

Whisk the egg into the milk and stir in the flour and mash, when mixed well stir in the finely chopped chilli and spring onion and then add the cheese.
Spoon tablespoons of the mix onto a lightly greased pan and fry over a medium heat until golden brown and the flip over to brown other side.

Jalapeño Muffins

4oz plain flour
4oz yellow cornmeal
2tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1/2 tsp salt
6 oz sour cream
2 medium eggs
2oz unsalted butter
2 green Jalapeño chillis or similar
2 red Jalapeño chillis or similar
2oz mature hard cheese

Sift together flour, cornmeal, baking powder bicarb and salt in a mixing bowl. Whisk together sour cream, eggs and melted butter and stir in finely chopped chillis and grated cheese. Add chilli mix to the flour mix and blend together, spoon into greased muffin tins or bun tins and bake for 15 minutes in a medium high oven, gas 6 or equivalent.

Cheesy Corn Bread

2 oz butter
1 medium onions
4oz cottage cheese
4oz mature hard cheese
3 1/2 oz cornmeal
4oz tin creamed sweetcorn
1 tsp salt
3 1/2fl oz milk
3 separated eggs
4oz finely slice smoked bacon

Finely chop onions a fry onions for a few minutes in the butter, set aside and let cool. Add cottage cheese, grated hard cheese into the onions and mix well the add remaining ingredients except the egg whites and bacon. Beat egg whites to soft peaks and fold into mixture. Pour into a greased 1/2lb loaf tin and lay bacon on top, bake for 45 minutes in a medium high oven, gas 6 or equivalent. Thinly sliced chillis can be added to mix if preferred.

Spicy Chickpea Dip

6 oz chickpeas
1 red onion
2 garlic cloves
3 spring onions
2 green chillis
1 fresh lemons
1 large tomato
handful fresh coriander
2 tbls yogurt

Soak chickpeas overnight, then simmer covered in fresh water for about 1 hour. Grill garlic and sliced onion until just starting to char then transfer to food processor with cooked chickpeas and blend until smooth with the juice from lemon. Finely chop spring onion, chillis, tomato and coriander and stir into puree with the yogurt, season with salt.

Mexican Style-Humous

12 oz chickpeas
1 red chilli
1/2 red pepper
1/2 tsp roasted and ground cumin seeds
1 garlic clove
1 tbls peanut butter
2 tbls olive oil
1 large lemon

Soak chickpeas overnight, then simmer covered in fresh water for about 1 hour. Grill red pepper and chilli until blackened, peel of skin and slice up. Place rest of ingredients with chickpeas into a food processor and pulse until required consistency adding any more olive oil or lemon to suite taste. Stir in grilled peppers and chilli.

Grilled Stuffed Chillis

8 large stuffable chillis
8 thin slices ham
2 oz cream cheese or boursin
2 oz mozzarella
1 lemon

Place whole chillis under a hot grill and cook all over until they just start to blister. Remove and rub off charred shins, and slit down one side. Scoop out all the pith and seeds. Place a small amount of cream cheese on a slice of ham and roll up, insert into chilli, squeeze over some fresh lemon and put a slice of mozzarella on top. Finish off back under the grill until cheese bubbles.

Mains

Deep Fried Stuffed Chillis

8 green chilli peppers try anaheim or kenyan
2oz grated cheddar and mozzarella mixed
1 egg
light beer
2tbls plain flour
1tbls smokey chilli powder

Carefully remove chilli tops and remove seeds. Stuff each chilli with cheese mixture.
Beat the egg and beer together and mix in the plain flour and chilli powder to make a batter.
Dip chilli peppers into the batter and deep fry in hot oil until golden brown.

Smokey Chilli Soup

1lb steak mince
1 onion
1 clove garlic
1 tin tomatoes
3 tbls tomato puree
2 dried anchos rehydrated and pureed
1 tsp smokey chilli powder
1 tsp roasted ground cumin seeds
2oz uncooked long grain rice
2tbls olive oil
6fl oz chicken stock

Heat 1 tbls oil in pan and brown mince, remove meat and set aside. Heat remaining oil and fry onion and garlic, add tomato puree, tin of tomatoes, pureed chilli, cumin and stock, bring to boil. Add meat and simmer for 20 minutes, add rice and season, simmering for a further 20 minutes making sure there is sufficient liquid to serve as a soup.

Green Chilli Stew

5 tbls olive oil
2lb stewing steak
3 green peppers
3 garlic cloves
4 fresh green chillis
1 tin chopped tomatoes
2 tsp honey or brown sugar
pinch of ground cloves and cinnamon
2 tsp ground cumin
2 fresh limes
11 fl oz stock
handful of fresh coriander

Heat half of oil and brown meat in batches and remove, dice green peppers fairly chunkily and fry in remaining oil with crushed garlic. Return meat to pan and add rest of ingredients keeping back 1 lime and coriander, cook at gas 5 or 190C/375F for 2 hours. Remove from oven, uncover and reduce on top of stove until sauce thickens, squeeze in juice of last lime, season to taste and add coriander as garnish.

Chicken Wrapped Tortillas

3 chicken breasts
1 large red onion
1 red and green pepper
2 limes juiced
2 tsp smokey chilli powder
1 tbls olive oil
soured cream/chilli sauce

Cut the chicken breasts into strips and marinate in the juice of 1lime, oil and chilli powder for 30 minutes. Roast red pepper under hot grill until blackened, let cool slightly and rub off charred skin. Cut green pepper into strips and slice onion. Heat a large cast iron griddle, brush with oil and grill green pepper, onion and chicken strips until charred and cooked through, mix with red pepper which has been sliced and squeeze over rest of lime juice. Warm through 6 to 8 tortillas, spoon on chicken mixture and soured cream or chilli sauce and roll up.

Crab Enchiladas

6 tortillas
1/2 lb crab meat
4 oz cheddar cheese
2 oz mozzarella
small red onion
handful fresh coriander
2tsp fresh lemon juice
olive oil
chilli sauce

Lightly fry the tortillas, do net let them crisp up, spread over some chosen chilli sauce - see sauces, divide crab, and cheeses over tortillas keeping some cheese back. Roll up tortillas and place in a greased dish, spread over more chilli sauce and the rest of the cheeses and bake for 15 minutes in a moderate oven. Garnish with coriander and serve with sour cream and guacamole.

Acapulco Chilli Prawns

1lb large raw prawns
1 oz butter
1/2 red onion
3 garlic cloves
1 hot or 2-3 milder green chillis
3 tomatoes
2 tbls tomato puree
juice 1 fresh lime
handful of coriander

Peel and clean the prawns, leaving on the tail tips and set aside, make about half a pint of stock with the shells. Heat the butter in a large pan and saute the chopped garlic and onions, adding the coriander and chilli after 2 minutes, fry for 2 more minutes. Add tomatoes, tomato puree and lime juice and simmer until the mixture thickens, add prawn stock and simmer for 5 minutes then add prawns and cook until they turn pink. Serve with lemon and lime wedges with mexican green rice.

Lamb in Ancho & Guajillo Chilli Sauce

2 dried Ancho chillis
3 dried Guajillo chillis
1 tbls olive oil
8 lamb shanks
1 onion
3 cloves garlic
1 tsp ground cumin
sprig of thyme
2 pints of stock
2 bay leaves
2 limes
2 tbls coriander

Remove seeds and rehydrate chillis, then blend with some of the water to make sauce. Heat oil and brown lamb shanks in batches. Drain fat from pan and add chopped onion and garlic, cooking until soft. Return lamb to pan and add all ingredients except the chilli sauce mixture, and simmer, covered for about 1-2 hours until lamb is tender. Remove lamb shanks and strip meat from bones and return to soup mixture discarding the bones. Leave to cool and refrigerate overnight. Skim fat from mixture, stir in chilli sauce and heat through for 20 minutes. Garnish with lime wedges and coriander.

Chipotle Pork Enchiladas

1 lb rolled pork joint
Chilli BBQ sauce (see sauces)
4 chipotle dried chillis
4 tomatoes
1 small red onion
6 tortillas
3 oz grated hard cheese

Make up chilli BBQ sauce and add more stock to make up about 3/4 pint. Unroll the pork joint and cut into large chunks, brown the meat off in a large pan and add the chilli sauce, simmer for up to 2 hours until meat is very tender and almost falling apart. While meat is cooking rehydrate the Chipotles and grill tomatoes and onion until charred, remove tomato skins and blend Chipotles, tomatoes and onion to a smooth paste. This paste can be added to the meat anytime during the cooking. When pork is done remove and slightly shred with fork dividing between tortillas. Spoon some sauce into a dish, place rolled up tortillas on sauce and spoon more sauce over the top, finish of with a sprinkling of cheese and bake in oven, moderate temperature for 1/2 hour.

Mexican Green Rice

1 cup long grain rice
2 cups chicken stock
1 onion
1 green pepper
2 mildish green chillis
handful fresh coriander

Grill peppers, garlic and onion until they start to char, then blend in processor with some stock to make a paste. Heat a splash of olive oil in a pan and gently fry the paste for a few minutes, add the rice and remaining stock and simmer covered for 15 minutes or until all liquid has gone and rice is cooked. Fluff up rice and recover for a few more minutes.

Refried Beans

12 oz dried pinto beans
1 small green chilli
1 small onion
1 clove garlic
olive oil

Soak the beans overnight, covered in plenty of water. Place rest of ingredients roughly chopped into a pan with the soaked beans and cover with water, bring to the boil and simmer for about 2 hours or until the beans are cooked. Remove the beans and either pulse them in a food processor or place them all in a large pan with some heated olive oil. Fry the beans over a medium heat, stirring and mashing if they haven't been pulsed with a potato masher. If they start sticking to the pan base they require more oil, when the beans are thick they are ready for use, or if you like them truly refried keep frying until they stick together and you can almost toss them in the frying pan. To reheat the beans add a little water to soften then go through the above procedure again.

Fruity Lamb Stew with Ancho and Jalapeño's

1 lb cubed lamb
2 jalapeño chillis
3 Ancho chillis
1 onion
1 clove garlic
2 large tomatoes
2oz seedless raisins
pinch cinnamon

Roast the dried anchos for a minute in a hot pan and rehydrate. Brown the lamb in casserole pot and set aside. In the same casserole pot add a bit more olive oil and saute the sliced up jalapeño, onion and garlic until soft. Add chopped tomatoes, raisins and cinnamon and stir for a minute or so. Purée the Ancho's with some of the rehydrating liquid and add to pot with the lamb, cover with water or stock and let simmer for about 2 hours.
Serve with mexican rice.

Habanero Pork with Pineapple

1lb cubed pork
1 onion
1 red pepper
2 Habanero chilli peppers
1 tin or half a fresh pineapple chunked
chicken stock

Brown the cubed pork in a little oil in a casserole pot and remove. Dice up the onion, red pepper and the Habanero and soften in the casserole pot with a little more oil if needed.
Add the pineapple cubes and then the pork, cover with 4-6 oz stock and simmer for about 2 hours or until the pork is tender. Serve with mexican green rice

Chipotle Mushrooms

1lb small button mushrooms
1 onion
2 cloves garlic
2-3 Chipotles (from Chipotles in adobo sauce)
fresh coriander

Fry the mushrooms in 2 - 3 tablespoons of oil in a large frying pan. Slice the Chipotles long ways and finely chop the onion and garlic. When the mushrooms have started to cook add Chipotles onion and garlic and well mix in the pan. Cook for another 5 - 6 minutes until mushrooms are well cooked add some adobo sauce if required and top with chopped fresh coriander. Season with salt to taste.

Chilli Chutney Potato Bake (submitted)

1362 g (3 lb.) small potatoes
1 large onion
1 - 2 teaspoons chilli chutney
340g (12oz.) strong cooking cheese
2 tablespoons oil for frying
2 cloves garlic

Peel potatoes, cut into slices. Chop onion and garlic. Heat oil up in wok. Add onion, potato, garlic and chilli chutney. Stir fry for about 5 minutes until potatoes are slightly cooked. Put into an ovenproof dish and mix in the cheese, sprinkling plenty of cheese on the top. Bake in hot oven for about 40 minutes until cheese is nice and brown.

All ingredients are approximate. This dish is not a hot one. For a stronger, hotter dish, use 4 or 5 teaspoons chilli chutney.
The spices in the chutney give the whole dish a lovely flavour and colour,
without much heat at all.

Gillies Red Hot Chilli (submitted)

2 tbls vegetable oil
2 large onions, peeled and chopped
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 large green-pepper, chopped
2 lbs lean ground beef
3 1-lb cans tomatoes, plus liquid from the cans
2 6-oz cans tomato paste
3 1-lb cans red kidney beans, drained
2 cups water
2 Stock cubes
1 1/2 tsp salt
3-4 small red or green chillis (if you don't like it too hot remove seeds)
3-4 squares of chocolate (this helps give a lovely texture)
tabasco or other hot sauce (again a little at first)
salt and pepper to taste
grated cheddar or monterey jack cheese
sour cream

Heat the oil in a large pot. Add the onions, garlic, and green-pepper, and cook over medium heat, stirring frequently and taking care that the garlic does not brown. Crumble the ground beef into the pot and continue to cook, stirring frequently, until the meat is well browned. Add the crumbled stock cubes and cook for couple of minutes so they coat the beef. Add the tomatoes, the tomato paste, the beans, the water, the salt, and 3-4 chillis finely chopped. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to a low simmer. Cook uncovered, for at least one (1) hour (the longer the better), stirring occasionally to make sure the bottom is not burning. At this stage I add about 4 squares of chocolate . If desired add tabasco, and salt and pepper. Garnish with grated cheese and a dab of sour cream on each serving.

Bob's Pale Ale Chilli (submitted)

1-2 pounds of chump steal cut into small pieces
2 small onions
Large handful of smoked bacon lardons
2 cupfuls of hot chorizo sausage
1 can of kidney beans
1 can of baked beans
1 can of mixed beans (pinto, canellini etc)
1 can of chopped tomatoes/pasata
4 cloves of garlic
1 beef stock cube
2 teaspoons of hot paprika
A pinch of steakhouse mixed pepper
1 tablespoon of tomato puree
2 tablespoons of tomato ketchup
Chilli's, as many or as little. I i use birdseye, and put about 4 or 5 deseeded, plus some Tabasco sauce
Handful of pickled Jalapenos chopped
2 teaspoons of caster sugar
A knob of butter
Half a bottle (500ml) of strong English pale ale (Landlord, Bluebird, London pride etc)
Seasoning (salt and pepper)
50g of Red Leicester Cheese or any medium cheddar

Fry off the beef in a small amount of olive oil. Salt if desired. Chop the onions and crush the garlic, cut the chillis in two and remove the seeds using a knife. Add the onions to a saucepan with a drop of oil and a knob of butter. Add the caster sugar and sweat the onions on a low heat for a couple of minutes. Add the garlic and cook for a further while until the onions have become slightly yellowed. Put the onions and garlic aside and fry the lardons and chorizo in a small amount of oil in the pan. Now, using a large cooking pot, add the beef, lardons, chorizo, onions and garlic to a knob of butter. Cook on a low heat and add the chillis. Drain the kidney beans and rinse under a cold tap, also drain the baked beans, leaving a small amount of the sauce to add sweetness. Add the chopped tomatoes along with the beans. Add the ketchup and tomato puree, along with the beef stock cube (dissolved in a small amount of boiling water) Stir the mixture well and cook on a low heat for several minutes. Add the steakhouse mixed pepper, hot paprika and seasoning to taste. Now, add the beer, sprinkle in some grated cheese and keep the mixture on a low heat and simmer for 15-20mins to let it reduce.

Best served reheated after 12hours or more to let the flavour's become more pronounced.
Serve with white rice and a pint of english pale ale (preferably landlord, fullers esb, etc)

Habanero Sweet Potato's

2 tbls olive oil
2-3 large sweet potato's
1 habanero
1 tbls fresh thyme

Peel sweet potato's, and slice into across every 2cm along length. Finely chop habanero and thyme, and mix with olive oil. Pour over sweet potato's and rub in well. Reform back together the potato rings in a line on a piece of foil, pour over the remaining oil and seal the foil. Bake in the oven on a fairly high heat or on a BBQ until potato's are tender.

Chilli & Garlic Prawns (submitted)

1kg green headless prawns, shelled and deveined
4 rashers bacon
250ml sour cream
4 cloves garlic
2 long red chillis, seeded
1 large shallot sliced
1/4 cup white wine
olive oil
salt & pepper

Remove rind and fat and chop bacon into about 2cm pieces. Finely chop garlic and chilli. Heat pan and olive oil. Saute bacon pieces for 2 minutes. Remove bacon to drain. Reheat pan and add extra oil. When hot add chilli and garlic, stir quickly for 1 minute. Don't let them burn. Add wine. Let it reduce to at least half. Add prawns and cook over high heat for 3 minutes. Mix bacon and sour cream to prawn mixture. Bring to near boil. Reduce to low heat and let simmer for 2 minutes.

Plate up immediately with sliced shallots to garnish and heated dinner rolls to serve.