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Beauty and the Bean – Issue 16

If you’re feeling cultural, or at least ready to appropriate some culture, then look no further than these recipes Nexus has shamelessly stolen all the way from Mexico. In a world where travel has become a frightful ordeal of coughing, sneezing and maskless Americans, these recipes are the next best thing to an exotic OE.

Burrito

Ingredients:

1 tbsp sunflower oil

1 onion, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1 tsp cumin seeds

400g can pinto or kidney beans, rinsed and drained

2 tsp smoked paprika

8 tortillas

100g cheese, grated

handful coriander leaves (optional for those of you who have a child’s palette)

200g tub fresh tomato salsa, plus extra to serve

Sour cream, to serve

Method:

Heat the oil in a large frying pan and cook the onion and garlic for 2 minutes. Add the cumin and cook for 1 minute more. Add the beans, paprika and a splash of water. Using a potato masher, break the beans down as they warm through to make a rough puree. Season generously.

Spread the fried beans onto 4 of the tortillas and scatter over the cheese and coriander. Spoon over the salsa, then top with the remaining tortillas to make 4 sandwiches. Wipe the frying pan with kitchen paper and return to the heat. Cook each sandwich for 1-2 minutes on each side until the tortillas are crisp and golden and the cheese is melting.

Serve warm, cut into wedges, with extra salsa and sour cream for dipping.


Burrito Bowl with Chipotle Black Beans

Ingredients:

125g of basmati rice

1 tbsp olive oil

2 garlic cloves, chopped

400g can black beans, drained and rinsed

1 tbsp cider vinegar

1 tsp honey

1 tbsp chipotle paste

100g chopped curly kale

1 avocado, halved and sliced

1 medium tomato, chopped

1 small red onion, chopped

To serve (optional)

Chipotle hot sauce

Coriander leaves

Lime wedges

Method:

Cook the rice following pack instructions, then drain and return to the pan to keep warm. In a frying pan, heat the oil, add the garlic and fry for 2 minutes or until golden. Add the beans, vinegar, honey and chipotle. Season and warm through for 2 minutes.

Boil the kale for 1 min, then drain, squeeze out any excess water. Divide the rice between big shallow bowls and top with the beans, kale, avocado, tomato and onion. Serve with hot sauce, coriander and lime wedges, if you like.


Mexican Pulled Chicken and Beans

Ingredients:

8 bone-in chicken thighs, skin removed

3 tbsp chipotle paste

2 garlic cloves, crushed

2 400g cans of chopped tomatoes

1 large onion, finely sliced

2 400g cans of black beans, drained

400g can of kidney beans, drained

Handful parsley, coriander or mint, roughly chopped

Small iceberg lettuce, shredded

½ cucumber, diced

Drizzle of olive oil

Large bag of tortilla chips, to serve

Lime wedges, to serve

Method:

Heat oven to 180C

Rub the chicken thighs with 2 tbsp of the chipotle paste. Put the rest of the paste in a medium bowl with the garlic, tomatoes, onion and some seasoning. Stir to combine, then tip into a large roasting tin. Sit the chicken thighs close together on top of the sauce. Cover with foil and bake for 1 hr.

Remove the roasting tin from the oven, add all the beans and stir into the tomato mixture around the chicken. Put back in the oven, uncovered, for 20 mins or until the chicken is tender and the beans are hot.

Meanwhile, mix the herbs, lettuce and cucumber with a drizzle of olive oil and set aside.

Shred the chicken using a knife and fork, and discard the bones. Mix the chicken through the sauce and beans.

Serve with the salad, tortilla chips and lime wedges.

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