Thomasina Miers’ recipes for chilaquiles with smoky tomatillo salsa and black beans, and pink grapefruit mocktail
You wouldn’t think of nachos as a natural way to start the day, but then nachos are simply a (more delicious) copy of a dish found throughout Mexico, where the tortillas from the day before are fried or baked until crisp and tossed in a salsa of your choice,Here, I use the acidity of tomatillo, which is given some smokiness and heat by chipotle chillies, and add a fried or poached egg and a squeeze of lime to make a seriously good brunch,This is traditionally a breakfast dish, but I also love it for dinner,Cook the beans in advance and keep in the fridge, like a secret weapon,Prep 15 min Cook 1 hr 30 min Serves 4-6 2-3 tbsp oil Juice of 2 limes300g corn tortillas Salt and black pepper4-6 eggsFor the beans 60g butter, plus 1 tbsp extra 1 medium onion, peeled and finely diced 2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped 1 tbsp chipotle en adobo 450g cooked black beans 1 star aniseFor the salsa 1 large red onion, peeled and cut into wedges3 garlic cloves, unpeeled 300g fresh plum tomatoes 1 red chilli 30g coriander, roughly chopped, plus extra leaves to serve1 tsp cumin seeds 2 tbsp chipotle en adobo About 300g jarred tomatillo salsa – I like the ones made by Gran Luchito and Cool Chile Company50ml extra-virgin olive oilTo serve 120ml soured cream 60-80g feta ½ red onion, peeled and very finely sliced 2 ripe avocados, halved, stoned, peeled and sliced Lime wedgesHeat the oven to 200C (180C fan)/390F/gas 6.
Whisk the oil and a tablespoon of the lime juice, then brush all over the tortillas.Stack the tortillas in piles of four or five, then cut each pile into four or five triangles.Arrange these in a single layer on baking sheets (you will need to do this in batches) and bake for 10-11 minutes, until golden and crisp (the second batch will need less time, because the tray will already be hot).Season with a little sea salt and set aside.To make the beans, melt the butter in a large saucepan on a medium heat, add the diced onions and cook for 10-12 minutes, until soft.
Stir in the garlic, chipotle, a teaspoon of salt and a few grinds of black pepper, and cook for five minutes.Tip in the cooked beans, star anise and 100ml hot water (or bean cooking juices), stirring a few times, to warm through, then lightly mash with a potato masher.Stir in the extra tablespoon of butter (or olive oil), taste, and adjust the seasoning.To make the salsa, put your oldest pan on a very high heat and add the onion, garlic, tomatoes and chilli.Dry-roast, turning every three or four minutes, until blackened all over – seven or eight minutes for the garlic and 12-14 minutes for the tomatoes, chilli and onion.
Once charred, scoop into an upright blender, peeling the skin off the garlic first.Add the coriander, a teaspoon of salt, the cumin, chipotle and tomatillo salsa, and blitz to a puree.Put the oil in a large frying pan on a medium heat, then cook the salsa for 10-12 minutes.Pour in the remaining lime juice and taste.Add more salt, if needed.
To serve, fry or poach the eggs to your liking.Tip the tortilla chips into the warm sauce, toss gently for a minute, then transfer to shallow bowls with the beans on one side, and the eggs, soured cream, a crumble of feta, the onion and avocado on the other.Top with coriander leaves and lime wedges, and dig in.Prep 15 min Serves 21 large grapefruit1 large orange½ chilli (optional)10ml apple cider vinegar5-10ml elderflower cordialSoda water, to topSqueeze the citrus juice into a jug.Slice the chilli if using, and put a few slices into two tall highball glasses.
Muddle the chilli with half the vinegar and half a teaspoon of elderflower cordial.Pour the citrus juice over the top, fill the glass with ice and top with soda.Taste, and add a trickle more elderflower if required.
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