Fermented potato tortillas

SERVES 6

For the fermented potatoes 600g large potatoes 2tsp salt, without iodine

For the potato tortillas 500g fermented potatoes (including the liquid that is formed)

25g organic rye flour 175g plain flour rapeseed oil, for frying

tortilla press

Start with the fermented potatoes. Preheat the oven to 180C/160C F/Gas 6. Bake the potatoes for around 1 hour. Remove the potatoes from the oven and set aside until they are cool enough to handle. Hollow out the potatoes and place the flesh in a mixing bowl (you should get around 500g).

Add the salt – it should be 1.8 per cent of the weight of the potatoes in the bowl. Mix without mashing the potatoes too much – there should be some big bits left. Place the mixture into sealable freezer bags and remove as much air as possible. Leave the bags at room temperature for 3-4 days. They will expand slightly, and liquid will be released. Turn them over occasionally during the process.

After 3-4 days at room temperature, the lactic acid bacteria will have eaten up all the available sugar and the potatoes will be fermented. You can either make the dough straight away or store the potatoes, chilled, until you need them. You can also freeze the fermented potatoes to use much later on.

Pour the fermented potatoes, including all the liquid, into a mixing bowl and add the flour a little at a time. Some types of flour bind with liquid more than others, so use trial and error to find the right amount. Mix the dough with your hands or use a potato masher to begin with to mash the bigger bits of potato, then shape the dough into a ball. It will be fairly sticky but should still hold together well. If it seems dry, add a little water at intervals until it is nice and soft.

Split the dough into smaller pieces and roll these into small balls, around 2cm in diameter. Place them on a plate with plenty of rye flour to stop them from sticking together. Leave to rest for around 10 minutes.

Cut out a sheet of baking paper that is slightly larger than your tortilla press. Position it in the press, drip a little oil in the middle of the paper and place the ball on top. Take another sheet of baking paper, drip a little oil on it and then position it on top of the ball. Press it gently to ensure it stays in place when you close the press. Press the ball into a tortilla around 2mm thick.

While still between the sheets of baking paper, place the tortilla in a dry, warm – verging on hot – frying pan. Fry for 30 seconds, turn over and remove the paper from the fried side. Fry the other side for 30 seconds, turn it over again and remove the second sheet of paper. Remove the tortilla and place it between two tea towels while you make the rest. You can do this in a couple of frying pans at once. Experiment a little on the frying pan temperature until you find a level where the tortillas speckle and puff up a bit without getting burnt.

Tacos with black mole, smoked tomatoes, coriander root and cotija cheese

SERVES 6

For the black mole 1 tomato, halved

100g sourdough bread

30g crushed pecans

2tbsp almonds, crushed

1tbsp rapeseed oil

50g dried ancho chillies

50g dried chipotle chillies

2 small yellow onions, quartered 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped 1tsp dried thyme

1tsp dried oregano

2tbsp black sesame seeds pinch cinnamon

5 black peppercorns pinch freshly grated nutmeg 4 cloves

1tsp freshly grated ginger root 130g dark raisins

400ml vegetable stock

To serve 6 fermented potato tortillas (see recipe, left) small smoked tomatoes

(see recipe, p123) coriander, picked leaves and finely chopped roots (you can buy coriander roots from Asian supermarkets and online)

60g cotija, or any other hardstyle cheese such as Pecorino or Parmigiano-Reggiano

Start with the mole. Light the table barbecue and let the charcoal take on a fine, soft glow. Grill the tomato halves with the cut edge facing down until the outside has blackened somewhat.

Tear the sourdough into small pieces and place together with the pecans and almonds in a dry cast-iron pan and put on the barbecue. Drip a little oil on top and shake the pan occasionally to ensure everything toasts evenly, which should take around 5-10 minutes. Place the mixture in a mixing bowl and set aside.

Slice open the chillies and remove the seeds – set these aside. Place the chillies in a food processor and blend until they form a powder. Set aside. Put the reserved chilli seeds in the cast-iron pan and toast them for around 5 minutes, until they are burnt and completely black. Put the burnt seeds in a bowl and pour 200ml cold water over them. Leave to stand for 1½ hours.

Strain and set aside.

Return the cast-iron pan to the barbecue to a spot where the temperature is lower. Pour in the oil, add the onions and tomato and leave to simmer for 15 minutes. Stir occasionally. Add the garlic and simmer for a further 10 minutes. Add the thyme, oregano, sesame seeds, cinnamon, peppercorns, nutmeg, cloves, ginger and raisins. Stir for 2-3 minutes. Add the bread and nut mix, chilli powder, chilli seeds and vegetable stock and cook for around 10 minutes.

Pour the mole into a food processor and blend until smooth. Pour everything back into the cast-iron pan and leave to cook for a further 30 minutes. Stir occasionally to ensure it does not burn. Add a little water if it gets too dry. Place a tortilla on each plate and dollop 2tbsp of mole onto each one. Top with 3 smoked tomatoes, coriander and finish by grating the cheese over it.

Tacos with grilled avocado, pickled red onions and chilli sauce

SERVES 6 3-4 medium avocados juice 1 lime rapeseed oil, for brushing

To serve 6 fermented potato tortillas

(see recipe, left) pickled red onions (see recipe, right)

Louisiana hot sauce (see recipe, right) or any other hot chilli sauce you like

Light the table barbecue and let the charcoal take on a strong, even glow. Halve the avocados and remove the stones. Carefully hollow them out using a spoon and then cut the biggest possible slices lengthways, around 1cm thick. Place the slices on a plate and brush them with lime juice and then with oil.

Grill the avocado slices quickly on a really high heat. The outsides should be caramelised and almost burnt, while inside the flesh should be cold and retain its consistency.

Place a tortilla on each plate and top with a few slices of avocado. Finish with pickled red onions and a drizzle of chilli sauce.

Pickled red onions

MAKES 1 JAR

500g red onions, finely sliced

For the spicy syrup 200ml vinegar, preferably 12% 330g caster sugar or cane sugar 3 coriander roots, finely chopped

2-4 bird’s eye chillies

2 bay leaves

1tsp black peppercorns

1tsp coriander seeds

1tsp pink peppercorns

sterilised glass jar

Boil the vinegar, sugar and 600ml water, then stir until the sugar has dissolved. Add the herbs and spices, reduce the heat and leave to simmer for a few minutes. Strain the syrup and leave to cool, ideally chilled, so that it cools completely.

Boil a pan of water with plenty of salt. Add the onions and blanch for 2 minutes. Pour the onions into a colander and rinse with water until they are cold. Place the onions in a mixing bowl with cold water and ice cubes.

Drain the onions and put in the jar with the syrup and chillies. The onions will be ready in 24 hours.

Louisiana hot sauce

MAKES AROUND 500G 500g red jalapeños

1tbsp rapeseed oil

2½tsp sea salt flakes 100ml champagne vinegar or white wine vinegar fermentation jar with water trap 2 x sterilised glass bottles

Cut the tops off the jalapeños and remove the core. Set aside 100g. Put the remaining 400g in a bowl together with the oil, then stir to ensure everything is coated.

Light the barbecue and, while the fire is still burning, grill the jalapeños hard so that the skins turn black. Set aside and leave to cool completely.

Place all the chillies, the salt and 2½tsp water in a food processor and blend until smooth. Pour into a fermentation jar with a water trap and leave at room temperature for at least 6 weeks.

Press the mixture through a sieve. Add the vinegar and fill sterilised glass bottles. The sauce will keep, chilled, for several years.

Note: If you want a little more of the smoky flavour, you can buy a burnt oak infusion spiral (medium strength) that you can put in the jar during step 3 of the fermentation process. They are available to buy from shops that sell brewing and winemaking equipment.

Tacos with king oyster mushrooms and pineapple

SERVES 6 1 pineapple

3 large king oyster mushrooms, torn into long pieces

1tbsp rapeseed oil

For the mushroom spice 1½tsp salt

2tsp mild chilli powder 1tsp onion powder 1tsp garlic powder 1tsp smoked paprika pinch cumin pinch cayenne pepper

To serve 6 fermented potato tortillas (see recipe, left)

6 lime wedges

First, roast the pineapple. Pierce a few holes into the skin using a skewer and then place it straight onto the glowing charcoal – you can even do this while it is still burning. Roast the pineapple until the skin is completely charred

and soft inside – this will take 1-2 hours or longer. The skin is very thick, so it can withstand being left for a while. You can tell it is almost done when the pineapple has shrunk slightly and the skin is slightly soft when you press it. You can measure the core temperature – it should be above 80-90C.

First, cut the top off the pineapple and then set it upright. Cut off the outermost black skin, but try to keep as much of the brown flesh close to the skin as possible without too much of the charred layer remaining, then cut out quarters lengthways, then cut 6 pieces from these – one for each serving. Remove the core from the middle, which is often slightly too tough after being roasted for a long time.

Mix all the mushroom spice ingredients in a bowl. Place the mushrooms in a bowl with the oil and mix until all the pieces are covered. Sprinkle most of the spice over and fold into the mushrooms carefully. Place the mushrooms in a double strainer and put on the grill or hold it over the glow. Occasionally shake the strainer, and drip a little oil on at intervals. Open after a few minutes and check whether the mushrooms have taken on any colour. Cook until they are golden brown, then set aside.

Place a tortilla on each plate, top with pineapple on one side and the mushrooms on the other, season with mushroom spice and serve with a lime wedge.