These crisp tortilla baskets make an unusual and pretty first course. Prepare the "baskets" in advance and add the salad just before serving. If you want to vary the recipe you could use a large spoonful of guacamole instead of mixing diced avocado into the salad filling; or mash the avocado and a crushed garlic clove into the vinaigrette dressing and toss the salad leaves in it. Or, for a vegetarian version, replace the chicken with diced cheese, chickpeas, kidney beans or roasted vegetables.
Serves: 4
Preparation: 15 minutes
Cooking: 8–10 minutes
Ingredients
● Olive oil, for brushing
● 4 soft flour tortillas
● 1 ripe avocado
● 8 ripe cherry tomatoes, halved
● 1 yellow pepper, deseeded and chopped
● ½ red onion, diced
● 1 hot chilli, diced
● A few baby salad leaves, torn into pieces
● 150g cooked chicken breast, skinned and diced, or ripped
● Salt and freshly ground black pepper
● Salsa, to serve
● Chopped coriander to serve
For the dressing
● 3 tbsp olive oil
● 1 tbsp white wine or cider vinegar
● Juice and grated zest of 1 lime
● Pinch of sugar
Method
● Preheat the oven to 200°C.
● Lightly brush 4 Yorkshire-pudding moulds (extra-large muffin pans), or 4 small ramekins, with oil. Press the tortillas down into the moulds to make a basket shape.
● Bake for 8–10 minutes, until crisp and golden. Check during cooking to make sure that they do not over-brown. Remove and set aside to cool.
● Mix the dressing ingredients in a small bowl.
● Halve, stone and peel the avocado and dice the flesh.
● In a separate bowl, mix together the avocado, tomatoes, yellow pepper, red onion, chilli, salad leaves and chicken. Toss gently in the dressing and season to taste.
● Divide the salad mixture between the tortilla baskets and top with a spoonful of salsa and some chopped coriander.
