Thomasina Miers could talk for hours about chillies: about fiery habaneros “that will blow your head apart”, about sweet anchos “perfect for marinating lamb”, or smoky chipotles for a lively barbecue sauce. She can talk equally enthusiastically about the perfect salsa, her ten favourite ways with an avocado, and where to find the best burritos. She is a one-woman publicity machine for the joys of Mexican food.
“Mexicans are pleasure-seekers. It’s a sunshine country and their food is full of flavour and colour,” says the one-time winner of MasterChef. “They are great at cooking cheap cuts and making them taste amazing by using chillies or cinnamon, allspice and cloves. They love using leftovers, too, and will put anything in flatbread to make a snack. It really is cooking for our time.” The rest of us appear to agree. Authentic Mexican restaurants are springing up on every high street (there are now four branches of Miers’ Wahaca chain in London), and Mexican-style supermarket marinades were the big hit of last year’s barbecue season. We’ve recognised that there’s more to Mexican food than nachos with melted cheese and jugs of margarita.
Miers is back spreading the word next week with a new TV series in which she explores regional dishes from Mexico City to Oaxaca, and devises her own recipes based on what she’s seen. The result is a gentle introduction to Mexican food. You’ll find no complex dishes here, just lots of big-hitting flavour combinations. “I’m a huge fan of simple, approachable food, and Mexican ingredients are more familiar than we think: courgettes, sweetcorn, tomatoes, olives, capers, pineapples – and of course a chilli or two.”
Mexican Food Made Simple starts this Tuesday at 7.30pm on Channel 5
Jane MacQuitty’s wines to match
Advertisement
Spicy Mexican food needs robust wines that will cope with all those chillies. My vote is the white currant and passion fruit-spiked 2010 The Ned Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand (Waitrose, down to £6.66, and Majestic, £5.99 each for two until July 18). Or opt for a bold, plum-spiced pink that also copes with the chicken: Marks & Spencer’s 2010 Réserve du Boulas, Côtes du Rhône Rosé, £5.99. For the dessert, 2010 Taste the Difference Brachetto d’Acqui is a pink that works (Sainsbury’s, £5.99).