Spice up your Cinco de Mayo celebrations with three chef approved recipes

If you’re looking to bring the fiesta fun to your dinner table this weekend for Cinco de Mayo, then chef Sophie Nahmad from recipe box service Gousto has three recipes that you can easily make at home, so you can honour the celebrations with some flavourful family favourites.

“Spice is a key component of Mexican cooking,” says Sophie. “When it comes to making meals that everyone will love, there are different levels of spice you can choose. I use a range of different whole dried chillies when I cook Mexican food. They add richness and depth of flavour to your dishes that’s indispensable whether you’re making salsas, traditional sauces, or stews like mole and carne con chile.

“When using dried chillies, it’s key to consider how spicy, smoky or fruity you'd like the dish to turn out. For a spicy kick use the dried habanero variety, but if you’re looking for a mild fruitiness, you’d be better off with ancho chillies. Always toast them in a pan first to release their flavour, then soak for 15 minutes in boiled water. Then you can blitz them into your salsa, or finely chop them and add into your carne con chile to bring some heat. Happy Cinco de Mayo and happy cooking!”

Cheesy Baked Veggie Enchiladas

Instructions for 2 portions

Time: 35 minutes

Ingredients:

• 30ml mayonnaise

• 80g cheddar cheese

• 400g finely chopped tomatoes

• 390g red kidney beans

• 5.5g vegetable stock mix

• 1 tsp ground smoked paprika

• 2 tsp ground cumin

• 1 plain tortillas

• 20g chipotle paste

• 5g coriander

• 1 spring onion

• 1 red pepper

• 1 red onion

You’ll also need: salt, vegetable oil, water

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 220°C/ 200°C (fan)/ gas 7.

Deseed your pepper (scrape the seeds and pith out with a teaspoon) and cut into thin strips. Peel and finely slice your red onion.

2. Heat a large, wide-based pan (preferably non-stick) with a drizzle of vegetable oil over a medium-high heat. Once hot, add the sliced pepper and sliced onion and cook for 4-5 min or until everything is beginning to soften.

Meanwhile, drain and rinse your red kidney beans, then boil half a kettle.

3. Once softened, add your ground cumin and chipotle paste (can’t handle the heat? Go easy!) to the pan and cook for 1 min or until fragrant.

Dissolve your vegetable stock mix in 50ml boiled water.

Add your chopped tomatoes, drained red kidney beans and vegetable stock to the pan and cook for 3-4 min or until you have a thick sauce – this is your enchilada filling.

4. Meanwhile, grate your cheddar cheese.

Strip your coriander leaves from their stalks and chop the stalks finely (save the leaves for garnish!).

5. Stir the chopped coriander stalks through the enchilada filling.

Divide 3/4 of the enchilada filling (save some for later!) between your tortillas, covering only half of each tortilla.

Roll up the tortillas tightly – these are your enchiladas.

6. Place the enchiladas in an oven-proof dish, with the seam face down.

Top with the remaining enchilada filling and the grated cheese.

Put the dish in the oven and cook for 10-12 min or until the cheese is golden and melted.

7. While the enchiladas are in the oven, trim, then slice your spring onion finely.

Combine the ground smoked paprika and 1 tbsp boiled water in a small bowl.

Add your mayo with a pinch of salt and mix to combine – this is your smoky mayo.

Serve the enchiladas garnished with the coriander leaves and sliced spring onion, then drizzle over the smoky mayo.

Mexican-Style Pork Chilli with Apple Salsa

Instructions for 2 portions

Time: 35 minutes

Ingredients:

• 32g tomato paste

• 11g beef stock mix

• 40g chipotle paste

• 30ml red wine vinegar

• 250g British pork mince

• 130g bulgur wheat

• 1 apple

• 1 tsp ground allspice

• 40g cheddar cheese

• 1 red onion

You’ll also need: olive oil, pepper, salt, vegetable oil

Method:

1. Peel and finely dice the red onion.

Heat a large, wide-based pan (preferably non-stick) with a drizzle of vegetable oil over a medium-low heat.

Once hot, add 3/4 of the diced red onion (you'll use the rest later!) and a pinch of salt, then cook for 5 min or until softened and starting to caramelise.

2. Meanwhile, add the remaining diced red onion to a medium-sized bowl with a pinch of salt and the red wine vinegar and set aside to pickle – this is your quick-pickled red onion.

Then boil a kettle.

3. Stir the ground allspice into the softened onion and cook for 1 min.

Add the pork mince and cook for 3-4 min or until beginning to brown, breaking it up with a wooden spoon as you go.

4. Add the bulgur wheat to a pot with plenty of boiled water and cook over a high heat for 7-9 min or until tender with a slight bite, then drain and return to the pot.

While the bulgur wheat is cooking, dissolve the beef stock mix in 350ml boiled water.

5. Once the mince has browned, stir in the tomato paste and chipotle paste (can't handle the heat? Go easy!) and cook for 1 min.

Add the beef stock and reduce the heat to medium-low. Cook for 10-15 min or until thick and reduced to a chilli-like consistency – this is your Mexican-style pork chilli.

6. While the chilli thickens, finely dice the apple (skin on), and grate the cheddar cheese.

7. Add the diced apple to the quick-pickled red onion with 2 tbsp olive oil and season lightly with salt and pepper – this is your apple salsa.

Fluff the cooked bulgur with a fork.

Serve the Mexican-style pork chilli over the fluffed bulgur with the apple salsa to the side, and top with the grated cheese.

Chicken Tinga Tacos with Lime Mayo

Instructions for 2 portions

Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:

• Cheddar cheese (40g)

• Tomato paste (16g)

• Mayonnaise (50ml)

• Ground coriander (1tsp)

• Ground cumin (1tsp)

• Plain tortillas (6pcs)

• Chipotle paste (20g)

• British skinless chicken thighs (320g)

• Gem lettuce

• Spring onion x2

• Lime

You’ll also need: olive oil, salt, vegetable oil, water

Method:

1. Before you start cooking, take your chicken out of the fridge, open the packet and let it air.

Boil half a kettle.

Add your chicken thighs to a bowl and sprinkle over your ground cumin, ground coriander and a large pinch of salt. Give everything a good mix up – this is your spiced chicken.

2. Heat a large, wide-based pan (preferably non-stick with a matching lid) with a drizzle of vegetable oil over a medium-high heat.

Once hot, add the spiced chicken and cook for 3 min on each side, or until browned.

3. Meanwhile, combine your chipotle paste (can't handle the heat? Go easy!) and tomato paste in a small bowl – this is your Tinga paste.

4. Trim, then slice your spring onions finely.

Wash your gem lettuce then pat it dry with kitchen paper and roughly shred, then grate your cheddar cheese.

5. Once the chicken has browned, add the Tinga paste and the sliced spring onion to the pan.

Add 150ml boiled water and season with a pinch of salt. Cover with a lid and cook for 12-15 min or until the chicken is cooked through (no pink meat!).

6. While the chicken is cooking, combine your mayo with the juice of half of your lime and 1 tbsp olive oil in a small bowl – this is your lime mayo.

Tip: Roll the lime with your hand on a hard surface (to release more juice) and cut in half.

7. Add your tortillas to a plate and pop in the microwave for 20 secs on high or until warmed through.

Once the chicken is cooked, transfer to a clean board and shred it apart, using two forks – this technique is known as pulling. Return the pulled chicken to the pan with the sauce and stir it all together – this is your chicken tinga.

Divide the shredded lettuce, chicken tinga, grated cheese and lime mayo evenly between the warmed tortillas – these are your chicken tinga tacos.

Slice the remaining lime into wedges and serve as a garnish.