Recipes and Ideas

From new and innovative creations to cherished old favourites, we're constantly sharing mouth-watering recipes that will inspire your inner chef. If you have any of your own recipes to share, join us on Instagram @CoolChileCo and become part of our vibrant community.

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Recipes

Butternut squash and Goats Cheese Flautas with Mole - thumbnail image

Butternut squash and Goats Cheese Flautas with Mole

Flautas are long thin, rolled up corn tortillas, aptly named “flautas” in reference to their flute-like shape. They can be filled with a variety of savory fillings, shredded chicken, beef, beans or like in this case with roasted vegetables. Flautas are shallow fried until crispy and golden brown, they are so incredibly mooreish and a favorite “antojito", or craving in Mexico. Makes:10 flautas Preparation time: 20 min

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OX Cheek Ancho Barbacoa Tacos by Karla Zazueta - thumbnail image

OX Cheek Ancho Barbacoa Tacos by Karla Zazueta

This is the perfect recipe for a Sunday gathering with friend or family. Using ox cheek is a wonderful idea, as it is an inexpensive cut full of flavour.

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Corn Tortillas with Pasilla Chilli Flakes by Karla Zazueta - thumbnail image

Corn Tortillas with Pasilla Chilli Flakes by Karla Zazueta

These delicious tortillas are perfect for making barbacoa tacos. The pasilla flakes give a nice earthy flavour to the corn tortilla.

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Tetelas with Refried Beans & Ricotta By Karla Zazueta - thumbnail image

Tetelas with Refried Beans & Ricotta By Karla Zazueta

Tetelas are delicious triangular antojitos (little nibbles) made from masa dough. They are very popular in the south of Mexico. Typically stuffed with refried beans, they make a wonderful starter for a Mexican dinner or lunch.

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Chile Ancho Chilaquiles & Refried Black Beans By Karla Zazueta - thumbnail image

Chile Ancho Chilaquiles & Refried Black Beans By Karla Zazueta

One of the most famous and loved Mexican breakfasts, chilaquiles are these deep-fried pieces of stale corn tortilla, smothered with a nice salsa and garnished with cheese, sour cream, onion and fresh coriander. There are two popular versions, red or green chilaquiles, but our recipe is made with an ancho chilli sauce, which give these chilaquiles a delicious twist, perfect for a special occasion.

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Pescado a la Talla by Karla Zazueta - thumbnail image

Pescado a la Talla by Karla Zazueta

This super delicious fish recipe is from the state of Guerrero in the south of Mexico. Chilli adobo is rubbed on butterflied fish and grilled over charcoal for maximum flavour. Our recipe uses seabass and our Ancho in Adobo Marinade, which gives a wonderful deep flavour. The fish can be eaten like a taco with different toppings or as a main dish with some roasted baby potatoes and green salad. An amazing dish for special occasions!

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Green Salsa Chicken Tamales by Karla Zazueta - thumbnail image

Green Salsa Chicken Tamales by Karla Zazueta

A simple tomatillo chicken tamal recipe that one must know how to make. For the vegetarian option, replace the chicken for more spinach and halloumi cheese and chicken stock for vegetable stock.

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Champurrado by Karla Zazueta - thumbnail image

Champurrado by Karla Zazueta

Champurrado is hot chocolate thickened with a little masa harina. Not only does it give a satisfying flavour to the chocolate but thickens it ever so slightly making it perfect to dip sweet bread into.

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Achiote Pork (puerco pibil) - thumbnail image

Achiote Pork (puerco pibil)

Puerco Pibil (also known as Cochinita Pibil), is a slow-roasted pork dish from the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico. The marinade usually consists of citrus juices flavoured with achiote (ground annatto seeds), which gives the slow roasted meat its characteristic colour. Delicious served in tacos.

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Roadside Chicken with grilled green onions - thumbnail image

Roadside Chicken with grilled green onions

One of the best street food offerings in Mexico is Roadside Chicken, simply marinated and cooked slowly over coals for a juicy flavoursome bird, perfect for tucking into toasty corn tortillas, anointing with salsa and serving with grilled green onions. The chicken is spatchcocked so that it cooks evenly. Serve family-style by placing in the middle of the table and let everyone make their own tacos. This recipe can also be cooked on a rotisserie spit or in the oven too.

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Stuffed Ancho Chillies by Karla Zazueta - thumbnail image

Stuffed Ancho Chillies by Karla Zazueta

Stuff it! Stuff em! Anchos are dried poblanos and although poblanos are more commonly stuffed the ancho makes a tasty, rich vehicle for picadillo, mincemeat Mexican style-y. To make veggie replace the minced meat with finely chopped mushrooms.

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Tacos Al Pastor - thumbnail image

Tacos Al Pastor

Traditionally grilled on a vertical spit, similar to a shwarma or gyro, Tacos Al Pastor is one of Mexico’s most famous – and tastiest – street foods. Although pork is traditional, chicken can also be also used – the key is the secret sauce it's marinaded in.

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Quesabirria with Broth by Kristina Urbonaite - thumbnail image

Quesabirria with Broth by Kristina Urbonaite

Birria is one of the most popular Mexican dishes and for good reason. It's amazing flavour and appetising looks are superb. Birria is usually cooked with lamb or goat meat. However, it can also be made from beef or a combination of all three. This is what makes it so popular, there are so many ways to make it, just how you like! On this occasion, we have created an exciting dish lamb that won’t go unnoticed. The Quesabirria with Broth is a mouth-watering choice for any time of the year.

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Blackberry Tequila Sour - thumbnail image

Blackberry Tequila Sour

Fresh berry infused, this classic cocktail is on another level.

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Chiles Rellenos - thumbnail image

Chiles Rellenos

Classic Mexican dish, made from poblano peppers stuffed with cheese, coated with eggs, deep-fried and served with Ranchero salsa. In this recipe we will use our own made Ranchero salsa, however you can always make your own.

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Hibiscus iced tea by Kristina Urbonaite - thumbnail image

Hibiscus iced tea by Kristina Urbonaite

Sweet cranberry-like tasting iced tea, that is just too easy to make. In this recipe we are using baking soda to reduce the bitterness, as boiling water releases the tannins of tea and makes it bitter. Alternatively, you can brew tea overnight with cold water.

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Ancho Chilli Chicken Tamales by Karla Zazueta - thumbnail image

Ancho Chilli Chicken Tamales by Karla Zazueta

This is a special recipe, perfect for special occasions. The chicken is cooked with an ancho chilli sauce that gives the dish a rich and deep flavour, then the tamal dough is flavoured with chicken stock to make it extra tasty. If you want to make this a vegetarian option, you can substitute the lard for vegetable shortening, we like to use Trex and the chicken stock for vegetable stock. Swap the chicken for fried strips of portobello mushrooms or better yet enoki mushrooms which fit perfectly...

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Jalapeno Cheese Balls - thumbnail image

Jalapeno Cheese Balls

Jalapeno Cheese Balls make a perfect side dish and also looks great on your snack/cheese platter. You can make it from any leftover cheese in your fridge when having unexpected guests in your house.

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Pea-a-mole - thumbnail image

Pea-a-mole

Peas instead of avocados for a version of guacamole. Avocados are not that sustainable right now; air miles, deforestation and drug cartels muscling in on farmers who's profits soar as the world demand for avocados goes through the roof. We can all take a little break from the avocado and try to use a local ingredient instead, in this case the pea! It is green and can mash similarly to the avocado. When you add the other guacamole ingredients, it can also taste very similar too. It does lack the...

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Buñuelos de Viento - thumbnail image

Buñuelos de Viento

Buñuelos de viento which literally translates into “wind fritters”. They are lacy and shaped like a rosette and are served at Christmas time in Mexico with a hot cup of coffee. These are made using a rosette iron mould, which is dipped into hot oil, then batter and then dipped back in the hot oil to fry. The fritters are then dipped in cinnamon sugar. Although they look fairly sturdy they are in fact hollow at the back so that make a light, crisp, sweet treat (see the bottom picture).

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Salsa de Tomatillo Tatemada - charred tomatillo salsa - thumbnail image

Salsa de Tomatillo Tatemada - charred tomatillo salsa

Roasted and charred fresh tomatillos and jalapeños make for heavenly salsa flecked with black bits of skin, it is smoky and delicious. Our preferred method for roasting is a hot pan on the stove and complete charring can be accomplished by using a blow torch to get into all the nooks and crannies. Plus there is an amazing smell when flame makes the chile skin go snap, crackle and pop. Roasting concentrates the flavours and natural sugars in the vegetables as they lose water when cooking. To max...

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Cajeta Cream Cheese Brownie Tart - thumbnail image

Cajeta Cream Cheese Brownie Tart

This is a a traditional brownie mix with cajeta cream cheese mix swirled on to the top and baked in a loose bottom fluted tart tin. We like the scalloped edged and the fact that when cut everyone gets an edge and middle to their piece of tart. This is also really good cold, so can be made the day before and served the next day for a gathering. Inspired by Estaban Castillo from Chicano Eats

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Masa Harina Cornbread Muffins - thumbnail image

Masa Harina Cornbread Muffins

These handy to grab, Masa Harina cornbread muffins are made mostly with masa harina with a little bit of flour to help them rise and a touch of cornmeal for grit. Perfect with carne con chile, ribs or mole de la olla. If you like your cornbread muffins a little sweet, we have a great glaze that uses butter, Nixta Corn Liqueur (which is made from nixtamalised corn for extra nixtamlised corn flavour) and golden syrup - just pour over when still warm and it makes a lovey sticky glaze.

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