Quesadillas de huitlacoche

Step 1: Heat 2 tbsp vegetable oil in a frying pan over a medium heat and fry ½ white onion for 4 minutes until soft and translucent. Add 2 garlic cloves and 1 serrano chilli and cook 1 minute.

Step 2: Add 12 ½ oz huitlacoche, fresh, frozen or tinned, 6 epazote leaves and ½ tsp salt. Cook, stirring, for 8–10 minutes until the black liquid has nearly gone and the mixture looks glossy and jammy. Taste for salt and let it cool slightly.

Step 3: Mix 9 oz masa harina with the rest of the salt and 1 ½ cups warm water into a soft dough that does not crack at the edges when you press a ball flat. Divide into 8 balls and cover with a damp cloth.

Step 4: Press each ball into a 14 cm round in a tortilla press lined with two pieces of plastic (or between two plates). Spoon 2 tablespoons of filling on one half, add some 5 ½ oz Oaxaca cheese if you like, and fold over, pressing the edges to seal.

Step 5: Cook the quesadillas on a lightly oiled comal over a medium heat for 4 minutes a side, until the masa is dry, firm and speckled brown. Or shallow-fry in 1 cm of oil for 2 minutes a side until golden, as many stalls do. Common mistake: a pan that is too hot; the outside scorches before the masa inside cooks through.

Step 6: Serve hot with 1 salsa roja and crema. They are best within a few minutes, while the edges are crisp.