Serve these chilli black beans (which can be made vegan by simply leaving out the speck or pancetta) with soft, warm tortillas – corn or flour, whichever you prefer – and a tangy jalapeno salsa, and you’ll have dinner sorted in 30 minutes.

But with more time, you can turn this dish into a feast by adding my Mexican-style braised beef short ribs and some simple sides, such as guacamole, a shredded cabbage salad, and a platter of barbecued corn cobs, with chilli-spiked mayonnaise and lime wedges.