Susana says: “Each of my tias (aunties) has at least one signature dish, which they’re expected to bring to all family gatherings, for perpetuity. Tia Marielena’s go-to is her spaghetti with poblano peppers – the delicious roasted poblanos bring a very special quality to this sauce. 

“Fresh poblanos are not common in the UK and western Europe, although you are more likely to find them fresh in the US, given its proximity to Mexico and similar terrain. Poblanos have a distinctive earthy, slightly sweet taste and their heat can go from mild to high. In this sense they are similar to the slightly sweet and spicy taste of the Spanish padron peppers; when you add the grassy and medium spice from the jalapeños it is a match made in chilli heaven. 

“This simple recipe is great for summer entertaining – either as a batch-cooked meal or for a last-minute dinner party; it’s also great if you are feeding anyone on a plant-based diet.”

Serves 3-4

Cooking time: 30-40 minutes

Ingredients

For the cashew cream:

• 150g raw unsalted cashews
• 150ml just-boiled water
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• ½ tsp salt
• ½ tsp ground black pepper
• Juice of ½ lime

For the verde sauce:

• 1 tbsp olive oil, plus extra to garnish
• 1 white onion, roughly chopped
• 3 fat garlic cloves, peeled but left whole
• 100g padron peppers, de-stemmed
• 4 jalapeños
• 100g baby spinach, washed
• 250ml vegetable stock
• 300g spaghetti

To serve:

• 100g toasted sourdough breadcrumbs

Method

1. Put the cashews in a bowl, pour over the boiling water and set aside for 10-20 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, for the sauce, heat the olive oil in a frying pan over a medium heat. Once hot, add the onion, stir and let it soften for 3 minutes, then add the garlic and let it get a bit of colour for another 2 minutes. Add the padron peppers and jalapeños, stir and let the onion brown further and the peppers get nicely charred all around. Once they’ve blackened a little (about 5 minutes), remove the pan from the heat. Remove 2 of the jalapeños from the pan, chop them finely and set aside in a bowl.

3. Tip the soaked cashews and the soaking liquid into a blender with the ground cumin, salt, pepper and lime juice, then blend on a high speed until everything turns smooth and creamy in consistency. Next, add the fried vegetables, spinach and stock and blend again until it’s all completely integrated into a bright green, thick creamy sauce. Taste and adjust the seasoning as necessary. The sauce should be mostly mild in heat.

4. Cook the spaghetti in a large saucepan of water until al dente. Drain, reserving some of the cooking water, then return the spaghetti to the pan with 4 tablespoons of the starchy pasta water. Pour in the salsa verde and mix, letting it all come together for a couple of minutes, before turning off the heat altogether. Serve while still warm with a drizzle of olive oil, some freshly ground black pepper and the sourdough breadcrumbs. For those who like more heat, add a sprinkle of the blistered chopped jalapeños and enjoy!

Susana says: “If you like prawns as much as I do this is a great way to serve them at home. The key is in the sauce, made with ground guajillo chilli and white miso. Butter gets melted into the prawns, mezcal brings a fresh and lightly smoky taste and a bit of crème fraîche brings it all beautifully together. Everything about this recipe is enjoyable and a feast to the eyes. I recommend using whole king prawns – the heads and shells just help to carry more flavour. Serve these prawns as tacos in corn tortillas.”

Serves 3-4

Cooking time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

• 2-3 tbsp rapeseed oil
• 2 white onions, thinly sliced
• 12 raw king prawns, shell on
• 1 tsp ground guajillo, plus extra to serve
• 2 tsp white miso paste
• 1 shot (25ml) of mezcal
• 15g butter
• Juice of ½ lemon
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 3 tbsp crème fraîche
• Handful of fresh chervil or oregano leaves
• Corn tortillas, to serve

Method

1. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large frying pan, add the sliced onions and fry over a medium heat for 6-7 minutes until translucent. Remove from the pan and place them in a bowl.

2. Add a bit more rapeseed oil to your pan; when hot add the king prawns, guajillo and white miso paste and stir to make sure the prawns get well coated with the spice and miso. Sauté for a few minutes until the prawns get a nice pink colour on both sides. Return the cooked onions to the pan, then increase the heat to high, carefully pour in the mezcal and flambé the prawns to let the alcohol evaporate on its own.

3. Add the butter and let it melt. Squeeze in the lemon juice and season with salt and pepper, then stir in the crème fraîche and cook for a couple more minutes.

4. Remove the prawns from the heat and sprinkle with a little extra guajillo and the chervil or oregano. Serve with warm corn tortillas, ready to make tacos.

Susana says: “An adobo is a traditional Mexican marinade made with dried chillies, vinegar, garlic and spices, often turning into a red-coloured mixture. For this recipe I use jalapeños and fresh coriander to make a green adobo, which is then used to create a delicious coating for the charred baked cauliflower. 

“Vegetable-based tacos have become very popular in the past few years but the truth is a lot of dishes in Mexican homes are mostly prepared with vegetables, so vegans and vegetarians can find a safe haven in Mexican food. Goodbye bland cauliflower recipes and hello to these tasty tacos.”

Makes about 10 tacos

Cooking time: 35 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 cauliflower (about 850g), broken into florets
• 2 tbsp white tahini (at room temperature)

For the adobo verde:

• 3 fat garlic cloves, peeled but left whole
• 2 jalapeños
• 60g fresh coriander
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 6 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp honey
• 1 tsp ground black pepper
• 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

To serve:

• ½ red onion, finely diced
• 20g coriander, finely chopped
• Juice of 1 lime
• 10-12 corn tortillas (about 10cm in diameter), warmed
• 100g crème fraîche or labneh

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 200˚C (400˚F).

2. Add all the ingredients for the adobo verde into a food processor and whizz it up until you get a green, but not totally smooth, sauce.

3. Arrange the cauliflower florets on a large baking tray and pour the adobo verde on top. Use your hands to coat the cauliflower well with the mixture.

4. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper, then roast in the oven for 15 minutes.

5. Remove the cauliflower from the oven, drizzle the tahini over the top and stir into the cauliflower with a spoon. Return to the oven for a further 10 minutes until the cauliflower has deliciously charred edges.

6. Place the roasted cauliflower in a pretty bowl, scatter over the red onion and chopped coriander and squeeze the lime juice on top. Serve at the table with the warm corn tortillas on the side and a bowl of the crème fraîche or labneh, ready to be made into tasty tacos.