Slow-cook Sunday: Mexican beef in tortilla baskets

I was a bit nervous about serving this to the Sprogs as it contains dried chipolte chillies (ordered from www.herbies.com.au). So I went for novelty presentation – a tortilla basket – to distract them from the new flavours. And it worked! They scoffed every mouthful. As it’s simmered in a slow-cooker you can use really cheap beef cuts that become meltingly tender. (If you don’t have a slow-cooker, simmer for about 3 hours on the stove). Perfect wintry weekend food.

RECIPE: MEXICAN CHILLI BEEF

2 tablespoons olive oil

1.5kg chuck steak, cut into 2cm cubes

Sea salt

1 onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, crushed

2 teaspoons smoked paprika (Masterfoods usually has it)

2 dried chipolte chillies

1/4 cup brown sugar

1 tablespoon tomato paste

2 x 400g cans crushed tomatoes

1 cup beef stock

1 tablespoon fresh coriander, chopped

Wheat tortillas, grated cheese, sour cream and rice to serve

METHOD:  Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a heavy-based frying pan. Cook beef in batches until browned. Place in slow cooker. Heat another tablespoon of olive oil in pan and saute onion and garlic until soft. Add to slow cooker. Stir in tomatoes, sugar, dried spices, tomato paste and salt. Cover and cook for 8 hours on low. Just before serving, heat oven to 180C. Gently press tortillas into oven-proof bowls to create fluted basket shapes and bake until crisp. Fill with beef mixture, sprinkle with coriander and serve with grated cheese, sour cream, rice and soft tortillas.