Month: September 2026

Ingredients 

Huitlacoche filling
2 tbsp neutral oil [omit!]
1 small onion (100g)
1 green chilli (like Serrano)
1 red chilli (like Serrano)
2 large garlic cloves
1 x 380g can of huitlacoche [substitute chipotle pepper – canned, oilfree!]
1 tsp dried epazote (or substitute w/ Mexican oregano, or fresh cilantro)
½ tsp salt (3g)

Quesadillas Tortillas (or ready-made tortillas)
120 g blue masa harina
⅓ tsp salt
190 ml warm water
Parchment paper

To serve
Salsa de Tomate Verde
1 small onion (80g)
10 g coriander
Jarred nopales

Instructions
Heat water in a wide frying pan over medium heat. Peel and roughly chop 1 small onion and sauté until it begins to turn golden (4-5 minutes). Meanwhile, trim, deseed and roughly chop the chillis.

Add the chillis, then peel and finely grate or crush 2 large garlic cloves into the pan and cook for another minute until fragrant.

Drain 1 x 380g can of huitlacoche [chipotle], if necessary, and add it to the pan along with 1 tsp dried epazote [oregano] 75g.  and ½ tsp salt (most canned Huitlacoche comes pre-seasoned, so only add salt to taste). Cook until most of the moisture has evaporated (8-10 minutes), stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat and set aside until needed.

While the huitlacoche is cooking, prepare the other toppings. Make the Salsa de Tomate Verde; peel and finely dice 1 small onion; trim the lower stems of 10 g coriander and roughly chop the rest.

If using ready-made tortillas, simply reheat them in a pan and skip to Step 10. To make fresh ones, mix 120 g blue masa harina and ⅓ tsp salt in a bowl. Pour in 190 ml warm water and mix it into a dough, then cover and set aside for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, cut two squares of parchment paper large enough to cover a tortilla press (if you don’t have a tortilla press, use a heavy cast iron pan).

While you cook the tortillas, reheat the huitlacoche mixture with a little extra oil in the frying pan until there is no liquid left and it begins to stick to the pan. Turn off the heat, but keep warm until needed.

Heat a large cast-iron or non-stick pan over medium heat.

Meanwhile, line the lower half of a tortilla press with the paper. Keeping the remaining dough covered, take a portion of the dough (around 75g) and shape it into an oval sausage, roughly 12cm long. Place the dough on top of the lined press and cover it with the second sheet of paper. Then press it into a thin disc, around 14cm wide. Gently remove the disc from the sheets and place it into the hot pan.

Cook for around 20-30 seconds until it easily comes loose, but hasn’t turned golden yet. Flip it over and cook for 40-60 seconds on the other side, then flip again. At this point, the tortilla should begin to puff up. If not, use a spoon to give it a gentle press around the edges. If it’s still not puffing up, the dough might be too dry or the tortilla was unevenly pressed. Don’t worry, you can still use it, the texture might just be a little more dense.

Continue cooking until it just begins to turn golden, then transfer to a cooling rack. Continue with the rest.

When the tortillas are ready, top one half of each with the Huitlacoche mixture. Fold the dough over the filling, return it to the hot pan and press it down with a spatula until it holds the shape. You can cook 3-4 at the same time.

Continue toasting the quesadillas, flipping them once or twice, until they have dark golden spots on both sides. Transfer to a plate, then gently open it up and top with the nopales, diced onions, coriander and salsa. Serve warm.

Ingredients 
320 g lentils (brown or puy lentils work well)
4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil (plus extra to finish)
1 large onion (200g)
3 large garlic cloves
1 tbsp harissa (25g)
2 tbsp tomato paste (50g)
3/4 tbsp salt (10g)
200 g cavolo nero (or dark greens of your choice), optional
1 tbsp lemon juice
Sourdough bread (to serve)

Instructions
Soak the lentils in at least 1liter of water overnight.

The next day, drain and rinse the lentils, then add them to a large saucepan with 650ml of water.

Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer with the lid slightly ajar until just tender (5-15 minutes, depending on the kind of lentils).

Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large frying pan. Peel and finely chop the onion, then sauté in the oil until it begins to turn golden (8-10 minutes). Peel and finely grate the garlic, and cook with the onions for 1 more minute.

Stir in the harissa, tomato paste and salt until they coat the onions evenly.

Now add the lentils along with their cooking liquid (if they haven’t finished cooking just yet, remove the frying pan from the heat and add a dash of water, if necessary). If using dark leafy greens, chop them up and add them at this point as well. Return to a boil, then simmer for 5-10 minutes until the lentils are perfectly tender and the liquid has turned into a sauce.

Add the lemon juice to the pan and stir it through. Turn off the heat and let it sit for 4-5 minutes, during which the sauce will thicken a little more.

Divide into bowls and drizzle with a generous glug of olive oil, then serve with toasted bread.

Notes
Storage: refrigerate leftovers for 3-4 days or freeze for up to a few months.