Ingredients
| 2 ancho chillies | |
| 1 guajillo chilli | |
| 4 cloves garlic | |
| 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar | |
| 1 teaspoon salt | |
| 2 tablespoons oil | |
| 4 spring onions, sliced | |
| 2 tablespoons fresh oregano, finely chopped | |
| ½ teaspoon cumin seeds | |
| 600g pumpkin, peeled, cut into 1-2cm cubes | |
| 1 x 400g can white beans, drained, rinsed | |
| FOR THE SALSA | |
| 2 green capsicums | |
| zest and juice of 1 lime | |
| a good handful coriander, finely chopped | |
| 1 green chilli, finely chopped | |
| 2 tablespoons olive oil | |
| TO SERVE | |
| 12 corn tortillas | |
| raw fish ceviche (optional) | |
| avocado slices | |
| crumbled feta | |
| lime wedges |
I like the process of making corn tortillas using masa harina – they are fun for a crowd to make and you can cook them reasonably fast on the hot plate of a barbecue. Of course you can always use bought ones; I highly recommend Hawke’s Bay company Hands Down (handsdown.co) which uses locally grown maize to make its masa dough or precooked corn tortillas. The corn flavour is readily apparent and they really are super fresh.
I’ve used two types of dried chilli: ancho for sweetness and guajillo for a little heat. You can buy these online from Tio Pablo or good food stores. If you are struggling though, use a couple of tablespoons of chipotle in adobe sauce which is a little more readily available in good supermarkets.
For the salsa I used 2 green capsicums but if you spot some tomatillos or green tomatoes try those instead; they are brilliant either raw or cooked depending on your preference.
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Instructions
| 1. | De-stem the chillies and roughly tear into pieces. |
| 2. | Toast the chillies in a dry frying pan over a medium heat for a minute. |
| 3. | Put into a bowl and cover with 1½ cups boiling water. Set aside for an hour. |
| 4. | Blitz in a blender with the garlic, cider vinegar and salt. |
| 5. | Do this the day ahead if you are organised as it makes for a more rounded and developed flavour base. |
| 6. | Heat the oil in a wide pan and fry the spring onions gently until soft, about 4-5 minutes. |
| 7. | Add the oregano, cumin seeds and pumpkin and fry for a few minutes, then add the chilli liquid. |
| 8. | Stir well to combine, cover and cook over a low heat until the pumpkin is tender, about 15-20 minutes. |
| 9. | If necessary add a little water to the pan. Add the white beans and heat through then keep warm, or make ahead and reheat later. |
| 10. | SALSA |
| 11. | Grill or roast the capsicums until blackened. |
| 12. | Put into a bowl and cover to let them steam for a few minutes, then peel the skin, remove the seeds and finely chop the flesh. |
| 13. | Add the remaining ingredients, stir well and add salt to taste. |
| 14. | TO SERVE |
| 15. | Heat the corn tortillas on a barbecue hot plate or in a frying pan for about 15 seconds each side. |
| 16. | Put into a clean tea towel to keep warm and pliable. |
| 17. | Put everything into bowls and allow everyone to make their own. |
| 18. | I made a simple ceviche by mixing together raw cubes of fish, lime zest and juice, chopped coriander, salt and a drizzle of olive oil. |
Recipes & food styling Ginny Grant / Photography Aaron McLean / Styling Jessica Crowe