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Lovers’ Chocolate, Coffee and Chilli Torte

Nothing says ‘I love you’ more than a home cooked meal. Anyone can book a restaurant to be wined and dined (if you have the budget and let’s face it few of us do these days) but taking the time to trawl the internet to create a menu plan, with dietary requirements accounted for, shop for all the ingredients and lovingly execute a bespoke dining experience especially for your partner shows kindness, thoughtfulness and commitment. This gluten-free lovers’ chocolate, coffee and chilli torte is the perfect pudding to finish your Valentine’s dinner with punch.

Chocolate stimulates the release of the body’s endorphins and serotonin to set the right mood for a night of romance. The cayenne pepper (an aphrodisiac) warms your entire body and leaves your taste buds tingling for more, a little like a passionate kiss. Finally, coffee is a stimulant that will literally keep you up all night.  This explosive combination of chocolate, coffee and chilli is guaranteed to make your Valentine’s Day end with a bang.

Prepare the torte the night before so that your hands will be free on the night itself. Did I mention this recipe is gluten free?

This recipe was adapted from Daisy Martinez’s recipe on the Cooking Channel.

Ingredients

1/2 cup espresso or very strong coffee 1/2 cup dark brown sugar or shaved panela 2 cinnamon sticks 3 cloves 1 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper 175g unsalted butter, cubed 200g dark (preferably 70% cocoa or more) fairtrade chocolate 4 large organic free-range eggs, beaten

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 175c. Line a small, round cake tin with baking paper then wrap the aluminum foil around the outside to keep the chocolate mixture from leaking out

2. Pour the brewed coffee into a small saucepan along with the cinnamon sticks, cloves and sugar. Bring to the boil then simmer over a low heat for approximately 20 minutes to melt the sugar and let the flavours infuse leaving you with a rich, coffee-flavoured syrup

3. While the syrup is cooking break the chocolate into pieces, place in a glass bowl over a small pan of boiling water and melt, stirring occasionally until all the chocolate has melted into a smooth, silky paste 

4. After the syrup has been cooking for 20 minutes add the butter, cayenne pepper and continue to cook until the butter has melted. Take off the heat and pour into the chocolate mixture using a sieve to catch the cloves and cinnamon sticks. Mix together using a whisk before gradually adding the eggs and whisk until fully combined

5. Pour the mixture into the baking tin and place in the pre-heated oven. Bake for approximately 25-30 minutes until firm. If you pierce with a fork the fork should come out clean when it’s cooked

6. Once the torte has cooled, place in the oven and chill for at least 4 hours or overnight if you can. Serve with ice cream, cream and a strong espresso coffee.

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Out campaigning for the UN resolution to protect the rights of small-scale farmers today with Global Justice Now #globaljusticenow #permaculture #socialjustice #lasalsainglesa (at Cecil Sharp House)

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Call it #huevosrancheros or #shakshuka it's an irresistible #brunch recipe either way. #recipecomingsoon #sundaycooking #experiment #tasteexplosion #cleaneating #peasgowitheverything #foodblogging #foodadventures #lasalsainglesa

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A state-by-state guide to Mexico’s extraordinary cuisine

Mexican food is as varied and incredible as the country’s landscape. This geographic guide will give you the lowdown. #LiveItToBelieveIt

Can you spot the region where they use Salsa Inglesa in a local dish? 

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Latin American Food for Thought

 Keep-up-to-date with our recent recipes, interviews, photos, and events by liking our La Salsa Inglesa Facebook page!

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Boozy Bean Burritos

This vegan Cuban-style bean stew combines two of my all-time favourites: black beans and beer. 

Here, the stew is used as a filling for burritos but alternatively, you can also serve it with rice. You could also omit the beer to create a gluten-free stew.

Black beans are an integral part of the Guatemalan and Central American diet. During my four years living in Guatemala, I used to cook a pound of beans in the pressure cooker on a Sunday and live off them for the rest of the week. 

A typical day looked like this:

1) Desayuno: scrambled eggs, beans topped with a salsa similar to salsa ají

2) Almuerzo: black bean soup with soft cheese and maize tortillas

3) Cena: tortilla chips with guacamole and refried beans.

I loved living in a country where it was acceptable to eat beans with every meal.

This recipe is adapted from Meatless All Day via the taste space, and inspired by Green Gourmet Giraffe.

Serves 2-3

Ingredients

1 tbsp olive or coconut oil 1 small onion, chopped 1 carrot, peeled and diced 1 red bell pepper, finely chopped ½ red jalapeño, de-seeded and diced 3 large garlic cloves, finely chopped or crushed 1/2 tsp ground cumin 4 tbsp tomato paste 1 cup cerverza 1/2 cup coconut milk 2 x 400g tins (or 3 cups) cooked black beans, rinsed and drained 3 tbsp fresh limejuice 1 tsp stock powder or half a cube Chopped cilantro to garnish 1 avocado to serve A pack of flour tortillas

Instructions

1. Heat the oil in a large pan then add the chopped onion and carrots, fry for a few minutes

2. Next add the pepper and chilli and fry over a low heat for another 5 minutes to soften the vegetables before adding the garlic and cumin, fry for one minute stirring continuously

3. Add the tomato paste and mix, and then carefully pour in the beer. Mix to combine then simmer for 2-3 minutes

4. Now add the beans, coconut milk, limejuice and stock, stir then simmer over a low heat, uncovered for 20-25 minutes until the carrots are cooked and the bean mixture is deliciously thick and creamy

5. To make the burritos, serve a small portion of the beans on a heated tortilla, add a couple of flecks of avocado, a sprinkle of cilantro and another squeeze of lime. Roll up and repeat until you’re out of beans or tortillas.

Serving suggestion: try with a side of peach salsa or guacamole not forgetting the leftover beer!

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Homemade ‘Dulce de Leche’ anyone? #comingsoon

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We love this sketch sent in by a Salsa Inglesa follower, do you think it has potential as a logo? 

Did you know that ‘Salsa Inglesa’ translates literally as English Sauce? Yet it’s actually the Spanish name for the famous British condiment Worcestershire Sauce. We decided this was a great name for our cross-cultural exploration into Latin American food.