Recipes, re-invented from cooking shows
Mexican Drunken Beans Brunch
Prep. Time:
Baking Time:
Total Time:
40 minutes
35 minutes
1 hour 15 minutes
Serves:
4 servings
Antos created this dish for MasterChef UK ™ Series 22. Grace Dent called it unlike anything she had eaten before, praising the depth of the cider-braised cannellini and the vivid parsley salsa, while Anna Haugh singled out the beautiful flatbreads, the crunch of the charred corn and the very good pi...
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Ingredients
FOR THE FLATBREAD
1½ cups (200 g) plain (all-purpose) flour, plus extra to dust
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp (3 g) salt
½ cup (120 g) natural yogurt
Olive oil, for cooking
FOR THE PICKLED SHALLOTS
¼ cup (60 ml) cider vinegar
1 tsp (4 g) caster (superfine) sugar
¼ tsp (1 g) salt
2 shallots, very thinly sliced
FOR THE DRUNKEN BEANS ★
5 oz (150 g) smoked streaky bacon, diced (or lardons)
1 tbsp (15 ml) olive oil
1 medium onion, finely diced
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
2 × 400 g cans cannellini beans, drained & rinsed
★ ⅔ cup (150 ml) dry cider — use dry, not sweet
★ ⅔ cup (150 ml) chicken or vegetable stock
Juice of 1 lime, added at the end
Small handful fresh coriander (cilantro), chopped
Salt & black pepper, to taste
FOR THE CORN ELOTE
2 sweetcorn cobs (or 2 cups / 300 g kernels)
2 tbsp (30 g) mayonnaise
Juice of ½ lime
¼ tsp smoked paprika, to dust
2 tbsp (30 g) feta or cotija, crumbled (optional)
FOR THE PARSLEY SALSA
Large bunch (30 g) flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
½ green chilli, finely chopped, to taste
1 small garlic clove, minced
1 tbsp capers, chopped (optional)
Juice of ½ lime
¼ cup (60 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
Pinch of salt
TO SERVE
1 ripe avocado, sliced
EQUIPMENT
Medium heavy-based saucepan or shallow casserole
Griddle pan or heavy frying pan
Frying pan or flat griddle
Small saucepan or heatproof bowl
Mixing bowls
Sharp knife and chopping board
Citrus juicer or reamer
Method
STEP 1: MAKE THE FLATBREAD DOUGH
In a bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder and salt, then mix in the yogurt to form a soft, shaggy dough. Knead briefly on a floured surface until smooth, 1–2 minutes — no more, or the breads turn tough. Cover and rest while you build the rest of the plate.
STEP 2: QUICK-PICKLE THE SHALLOTS
Warm the cider vinegar with the sugar and salt until dissolved (a few seconds in a small pan, or 20 seconds in the microwave). Pour over the thinly sliced shallots and set aside for at least 20 minutes, stirring once or twice, until they turn slightly pink and lose their raw bite.
STEP 3: BRAISE THE DRUNKEN BEANS ★
Render the diced bacon in the olive oil over medium heat until golden and the fat has run, then add the onion and soften for 5–6 minutes. Stir in the garlic, cumin and ground coriander and cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Add the drained cannellini and turn to coat. Pour in only the measured 150 ml of dry cider and let it bubble hard for 2–3 minutes until almost fully cooked away — this drives off the sugar that made the original too sweet. Add the stock and simmer gently, uncovered, for 10–12 minutes until glossy and thickened, crushing a few beans against the side to lend body. Off the heat, stir through the lime juice and chopped fresh coriander, and season. It should taste savoury, smoky and bright, with only a faint apple note — never sweet.
STEP 4: CHAR THE CORN ELOTE
Get a griddle or heavy pan very hot. Char the corn cobs (or loose kernels) in a dry pan until spotted and smoky but still with real bite — keep the heat high and the time short rather than stewing them soft. Strip the kernels if using cobs, then toss with the mayonnaise and lime juice, dust with smoked paprika, and scatter over the crumbled feta or cotija if using.
STEP 5: MAKE THE PARSLEY SALSA
Combine the finely chopped parsley, chilli, garlic and capers with the lime juice and olive oil, and season with a pinch of salt. Keep it loose, fresh and vivid — do not blend it to a paste, and make it close to serving so it stays bright green.
STEP 6: COOK THE FLATBREADS
Divide the rested dough into four and roll each out thinly on a floured surface. Cook in a hot, lightly oiled pan for about 1–2 minutes a side, until puffed in places and charred in spots. Keep warm under a cloth.
STEP 7: ASSEMBLE
Spoon the warm beans onto each plate. Top with sliced avocado, a tangle of pickled shallots and a generous spoon of parsley salsa. Serve the charred elote and a warm flatbread alongside, while the beans are still hot and the salsa freshly made.
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Instructions
FOR THE FLATBREAD
1½ cups (200 g) plain (all-purpose) flour, plus extra to dust
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp (3 g) salt
½ cup (120 g) natural yogurt
Olive oil, for cooking
FOR THE PICKLED SHALLOTS
¼ cup (60 ml) cider vinegar
1 tsp (4 g) caster (superfine) sugar
¼ tsp (1 g) salt
2 shallots, very thinly sliced
FOR THE DRUNKEN BEANS ★
5 oz (150 g) smoked streaky bacon, diced (or lardons)
1 tbsp (15 ml) olive oil
1 medium onion, finely diced
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
2 × 400 g cans cannellini beans, drained & rinsed
★ ⅔ cup (150 ml) dry cider — use dry, not sweet
★ ⅔ cup (150 ml) chicken or vegetable stock
Juice of 1 lime, added at the end
Small handful fresh coriander (cilantro), chopped
Salt & black pepper, to taste
FOR THE CORN ELOTE
2 sweetcorn cobs (or 2 cups / 300 g kernels)
2 tbsp (30 g) mayonnaise
Juice of ½ lime
¼ tsp smoked paprika, to dust
2 tbsp (30 g) feta or cotija, crumbled (optional)
FOR THE PARSLEY SALSA
Large bunch (30 g) flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
½ green chilli, finely chopped, to taste
1 small garlic clove, minced
1 tbsp capers, chopped (optional)
Juice of ½ lime
¼ cup (60 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
Pinch of salt
TO SERVE
1 ripe avocado, sliced
EQUIPMENT
Medium heavy-based saucepan or shallow casserole
Griddle pan or heavy frying pan
Frying pan or flat griddle
Small saucepan or heatproof bowl
Rolling pin
Mixing bowls
Sharp knife and chopping board
Citrus juicer or reamer
Heading 5
Ingredients
STEP 1: MAKE THE FLATBREAD DOUGH
In a bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder and salt, then mix in the yogurt to form a soft, shaggy dough. Knead briefly on a floured surface until smooth, 1–2 minutes — no more, or the breads turn tough. Cover and rest while you build the rest of the plate.
STEP 2: QUICK-PICKLE THE SHALLOTS
Warm the cider vinegar with the sugar and salt until dissolved (a few seconds in a small pan, or 20 seconds in the microwave). Pour over the thinly sliced shallots and set aside for at least 20 minutes, stirring once or twice, until they turn slightly pink and lose their raw bite.
STEP 3: BRAISE THE DRUNKEN BEANS ★
Render the diced bacon in the olive oil over medium heat until golden and the fat has run, then add the onion and soften for 5–6 minutes. Stir in the garlic, cumin and ground coriander and cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Add the drained cannellini and turn to coat. Pour in only the measured 150 ml of dry cider and let it bubble hard for 2–3 minutes until almost fully cooked away — this drives off the sugar that made the original too sweet. Add the stock and simmer gently, uncovered, for 10–12 minutes until glossy and thickened, crushing a few beans against the side to lend body. Off the heat, stir through the lime juice and chopped fresh coriander, and season. It should taste savoury, smoky and bright, with only a faint apple note — never sweet.
STEP 4: CHAR THE CORN ELOTE
Get a griddle or heavy pan very hot. Char the corn cobs (or loose kernels) in a dry pan until spotted and smoky but still with real bite — keep the heat high and the time short rather than stewing them soft. Strip the kernels if using cobs, then toss with the mayonnaise and lime juice, dust with smoked paprika, and scatter over the crumbled feta or cotija if using.
STEP 5: MAKE THE PARSLEY SALSA
Combine the finely chopped parsley, chilli, garlic and capers with the lime juice and olive oil, and season with a pinch of salt. Keep it loose, fresh and vivid — do not blend it to a paste, and make it close to serving so it stays bright green.
STEP 6: COOK THE FLATBREADS
Divide the rested dough into four and roll each out thinly on a floured surface. Cook in a hot, lightly oiled pan for about 1–2 minutes a side, until puffed in places and charred in spots. Keep warm under a cloth.
STEP 7: ASSEMBLE
Spoon the warm beans onto each plate. Top with sliced avocado, a tangle of pickled shallots and a generous spoon of parsley salsa. Serve the charred elote and a warm flatbread alongside, while the beans are still hot and the salsa freshly made.
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