Chilli Beef Wraps

The tradition of using a wrap or a flour tortilla to hold together meat, chicken and vegetables originates from northern Mexico. These chilli beef wraps are ideal to serve at events, as you don’t need cutlery or crockery, just a napkin so that people can eat them as they walk around.

Ingredients

½ small iceberg lettuce
1 red onion
1 pepper (red or yellow)
1 x 15ml spoon vegetable oil
250g lean beef mince
220g can kidney beans
½ x 5ml spoon chilli powder
1 x 5ml spoon ground cinnamon
Black pepper (optional)
2 x 15ml spoons tomato purée
3 x 15ml spoons water
4 tortilla wraps

Equipment

Colander
Sharp knife
Chopping board
Mixing bowl
Measuring spoons
Large frying pan
Wooden spoon
Can opener

Instructions

1. Wash and shred the lettuce and set aside.
2. Peel and chop the onion in half. Then cut each half into thin slices.
3. Wash the pepper, cut in half and remove the seeds and white pith. Cut each half into 6 strips.
4. Heat the oil in the frying pan on medium heat, add the onion and pepper and fry for 5 minutes, stirring them around the pan to stop them burning.
5. Add the mince and fry for a further 3 minutes or until the mince is cooked (it will turn from red to brown). Break up the clumps of mince with the wooden spoon as it browns.
6. Drain the kidney beans, rinse in cold water and add to the frying pan.
7. Add the spices and black pepper to taste (if using) and stir well.
8. Add the water and tomato purée to the mince mixture and stir.
9. Stir on a high heat until the mixture is boiling, then reduce the heat and simmer (small bubbles) for 5 minutes.
10. Serve in flour tortillas, with shredded lettuce and fold or roll up before eating.

Skills used include:
Measuring, peeling, chopping, boiling/simmering, frying and serving.

Top Tips

• To make the wrap, place the chilli mixture and lettuce in the middle of the wrap, fold the bottom in and then fold in both sides.

Something to try next time

• To make homemade nachos, cut the flour tortillas into 8 wedges and sprinkle with paprika. Place the wedges under a grill until they start to brown. Load them with the chilli beef, a sprinkle of grated cheese and 1 x 15ml spoon of sour cream. Serve with the Mexican Tomato Salsa recipe, available from our website.
• For a vegetarian option, try using 250g QuornTM mince or a drained 400g can of lentils instead of minced beef at step 5.
• Add more vegetables, such as 50g of sliced mushrooms or 1 chopped courgette at step 4.

Prepare now, eat later

• Chop the vegetables and drain and rinse the beans in advance. Store, covered, in the fridge for up to 24 hours.
• Avoid chopping the lettuce until an hour or so before you need it as it tends to discolour quickly.
• Measure out the spices in advance ready to assemble the dish.
• You can make the chilli beef mixture in advance. Store the cooled mixture in the fridge for 48 hours or freeze for up to one month. Defrost the chilli in the fridge overnight and reheat until piping hot. Do not reheat again.

Get more from your food

• Keep leftover tortilla wraps in the freezer and defrost individually under the grill when needed.