Spicy Mexican Soup, Beef Tortilla Pocket and Pina Colada Crème brûlée

Ingredients

• 250 g Dry red beans (soaked overnight)
• 1 can (300 g) Canned corn (drained)
• 2 units Yellow onion (finely chopped)
• 3 cloves Garlic (minced)
• 3 tablespoons Olive oil (for the sofrito and the tortillas)
• 400 g Canned tomato pulp (no added salt)
• 2 teaspoons Chili powder spice (or more to taste)
• 1 unit Avocado (firm, diced)
• 200 g Cherry tomatoes (halved)
• 2 stalks Green onions (scallions) (chopped)
• 1 unit Fresh chili (optional, spicy)
• 1 tablespoon Lime juice (fresh)
• 1 small bunch Fresh cilantro (for topping)
• 8 units Wheat tortillas (small size)
• 400 g Ground beef (15% fat)
• 40 g Spreadable cheese like Kiri (2 portions)
• 2 units Eggs (beaten)
• 50 g Grated cheese (cheddar) (for the mixture)
• 2 tablespoons Fresh parsley (chopped)
• 4 leaves Lettuce (to accompany the tortillas)
• 1 medium Fresh pineapple (cut in half, flesh reserved)
• 400 ml Coconut cream (canned)
• 100 g Brown sugar (or dark brown sugar)
• 4 units Egg yolks (for the cream)
• 20 g Cornstarch (Maïzena) (2 tablespoons)
• 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract (or vanilla cream)
• 2 tablespoons Sugar for caramelizing (fine brown sugar)

Instructions

1. Cooking the red beans

   Rinse the soaked red beans, place them in a large pot, cover with cold water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 1 h 30 min until tender.

   Time: PT1H30M

   Temperature: 100°C

2. Prepare the sofrito

   Finely chop 1 yellow onion and 2 garlic cloves. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a pan, add garlic and onion, cook 5 min until translucent.

   Time: PT5M

   Temperature: 180°C

3. Add tomato pulp and spices

   Stir in 400 g tomato pulp and 1 teaspoon chili spice. Mix and cook 10 min, stirring regularly.

   Time: PT10M

   Temperature: 180°C

4. Combine beans and corn

   Add the drained cooked beans to the pan, add the drained can of corn and simmer 10 min for flavors to meld.

   Time: PT10M

   Temperature: 180°C

5. Prepare fresh topping

   Dice 1 avocado, halve 200 g cherry tomatoes, chop 2 scallion stalks and 1 small chili (optional). Mix everything with 1 tablespoon lime juice, 1 tablespoon olive oil, a pinch of chili spice and a few cilantro leaves.

   Time: PT10M

6. Plate the soup

   Divide the soup into bowls, add generous fresh topping and a few tortilla pieces for texture.

   Time: PT5M

7. Sauté aromatics for the filling

   In a pan, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil, add 1 minced garlic clove, 1 small sliced yellow onion and 2 tablespoons chopped parsley. Sauté 5 min until onion is translucent.

   Time: PT5M

   Temperature: 180°C

8. Cook the ground beef

   Add 400 g ground beef, season with 1 teaspoon chili spice, salt and pepper. Cook 10 min, breaking up regularly until beef is nicely browned.

   Time: PT10M

   Temperature: 180°C

9. Incorporate cheeses and eggs

   Remove pan from heat, stir in 40 g Kiri cheese, 2 beaten eggs and 50 g grated cheese. Mix 2 min until smooth, then add remaining parsley.

   Time: PT2M

10. Fill the tortillas

    Place a tablespoon of the mixture in the center of each tortilla, fold or close like a pocket. Brush each tortilla with 1 tablespoon olive oil mixed with a pinch of chili spice.

    Time: PT5M

11. Bake

    Preheat oven to 180°C (fan). Arrange tortillas on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake 6‑8 min until golden and slightly crisp.

    Time: PT8M

    Temperature: 180°C

12. Serve the tortillas

    Serve the warm tortillas with fresh lettuce leaves for crunch.

    Time: PT2M

13. Prepare pineapple shells

    Cut the pineapple lengthwise into two halves, scoop out the flesh with a spoon and reserve the shells for final plating.

    Time: PT5M

14. Blend the pina colada cream

    In the blender bowl, combine pineapple flesh, 400 ml coconut cream, 100 g brown sugar, 20 g cornstarch, 4 egg yolks and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Blend until smooth.

    Time: PT5M

15. Strain the cream

    Pass the mixture through a fine sieve to remove pineapple fibers and obtain an ultra‑smooth cream.

    Time: PT3M

16. Cook the cream

    Pour the strained cream into a saucepan, heat over medium heat (≈90°C) stirring constantly for 15 min until thickened (coat consistency).

    Time: PT15M

    Temperature: 90°C

17. Cool and refrigerate

    Pour the hot cream into the reserved pineapple shells, let cool to room temperature then cover and refrigerate overnight (minimum 12 h).

    Time: PT0M

18. Caramelize the top

    Just before serving, evenly sprinkle 2 tablespoons sugar over each pineapple half, then use a kitchen torch to caramelize the sugar for 2 min until a golden, crackly crust forms.

    Time: PT2M

Nutrition Facts

Calories

950

Protein

30 g

Carbohydrates

80 g

Fat

45 g

Fiber

12 g

Ingredient Substitutions

• Instead of Dry red beans: black beans, white beans
• Instead of Canned corn: fresh corn
• Instead of Yellow onion: shallot
• Instead of Garlic: garlic powder
• Instead of Olive oil: sunflower oil
• Instead of Canned tomato pulp: fresh crushed tomatoes
• Instead of Chili powder spice: Cayenne pepper
• Instead of Avocado: avocado puree
• Instead of Cherry tomatoes: fresh tomatoes
• Instead of Green onions (scallions): shallots
• Instead of Fresh chili: jalapeño pepper
• Instead of Lime juice: apple cider vinegar
• Instead of Fresh cilantro: parsley
• Instead of Wheat tortillas: corn tortillas
• Instead of Ground beef: ground turkey
• Instead of Spreadable cheese like Kiri: cream cheese
• Instead of Eggs: egg substitute
• Instead of Grated cheese (cheddar): mozzarella cheese
• Instead of Fresh parsley: chives
• Instead of Lettuce: spinach
• Instead of Fresh pineapple: canned pineapple
• Instead of Coconut cream: coconut milk
• Instead of Brown sugar: white sugar
• Instead of Egg yolks: egg substitute
• Instead of Cornstarch (Maïzena): rice flour
• Instead of Vanilla extract: vanilla bean
• Instead of Sugar for caramelizing: white sugar

Equipment Needed

• Large pot
• Frying pan
• Immersion blender or blender
• Fine sieve (chinois)
• Cutting board
• Chef's knife
• Measuring spoons
• Silicone spatula
• Preheated oven
• Kitchen torch
• Mixing bowls
• Parchment paper (optional)

Critical Steps — Do Not Skip

• Cooking the red beans until tender
• Incorporate the sauce mixture into the soup
• Cooking the ground beef while breaking it up well
• Baking the tortillas to achieve a golden crust
• Cooking the pina colada cream without boiling
• Torch caramelization of sugar on the crème brûlée

Chef Tips from the Video

• Use fresh jalapeño chili for a more controlled heat.
• Add a pinch of ground cumin to the sofrito for deeper aroma.
• For an ultra‑smooth cream, pass the mixture through the sieve twice.

Troubleshooting

Storage

Refrigerator: Soup: up to 3 days in an airtight container. Tortillas: 2 days. Crème brûlée: 2 days in pineapple shells.

Freezer: Soup: up to 2 months (portion before freezing). Tortillas: 1 month. Crème brûlée: not recommended (texture degrades).

Room temperature: Do not store at room temperature for more than 2 hours.

Make-Ahead Tips

• Prepare the soup the day before and reheat before serving.
• The meat filling can be made ahead and kept in the fridge for 2 days.
• The pina colada cream can be prepared the day before and set in the fridge overnight.