Mexican Salsa Sauce

Chop up and gently fry a large onion until translucent, add fresh chilli (or powder would do, but add it early on and don’t over heat). Add chopped garlic and then a chopped bell pepper and again fry but not to brownness, just to take the crispness out. Add a can of tomatoes, salt and pepper and cook very slowly.

You can also add chopped pickled jalapeno peppers and tomato sauce or a very a little sugar. You can also add chicken stock. The main thing is to taste it and neither over-cook it at the beginning nor rush the simmering - the slower and longer the better.

Towards the end add chopped fresh (the green leaves not the brown seeds) coriander (you can live without this but it really gives it the authentic Mexican feel).

This can be used as an accompaniment to tacos, tortillas or fajitas or it can be used to cover baked enchiladas. A little sugar or ketchup can help – but only a little.

Oh yes - and of course - lots of lemon or lime juice really helps.