For company
Hola Mexico! Minced beef tacos
Nostalgic, spicy, generous — the kind of dinner you set in the middle of the table and let everyone build their own. Cumin, coriander, lime, and my guacamole with a proper squeeze.
The spicier, the better. Perfect posh spice with a little of not-so-posh spice.
Limes — for the guacamole, the salad, the margaritas. All of it.
Method
- 01
Warm the olive oil in a wide heavy pan over medium heat. Add the onion with a pinch of salt and cook for 6–8 minutes until soft and golden at the edges. Stir in the garlic for another minute.
- 02
Turn the heat up and add the mince. Break it up with a wooden spoon and fry for 6–8 minutes, letting it catch and crisp in patches — this is where the flavour lives.
- 03
Scatter over the cumin, coriander, smoked paprika, oregano and chilli flakes. Stir for a minute, until the kitchen smells the way it should.
- 04
Add the tomato purée and cook for another minute, then tip in the chopped tomatoes, stock and sugar. Simmer, uncovered, for 12–15 minutes until thick, glossy and just spoonable — not soupy.
- 05
For the guacamole, mash the avocado roughly with the lime juice, coriander, red onion and a good pinch of salt. Keep it chunky.
- 06
For the salad, dice the tomatoes, cucumber and red onion small. Toss with lemon juice, olive oil and salt just before serving.
- 07
Off the heat, squeeze the ½ lime over the beef and taste — more salt, more chilli, more lime.
- 08
Warm the tortillas in a dry pan for 20 seconds a side. Pile beef, guacamole, cream cheese and salad into the middle of the table. Let everyone build. Finish each with coriander, chilli and a squeeze of lime.
Keep cooking
