Spiced minced beef tacos with pico de gallo and guacamole (Tex-Mex style)

Method

1. Pickled onion and pico de gallo. Peel the red onion; very thinly slice a quarter (45 g) and put in a bowl with 10 g lime juice and 1 pinch salt; stir and marinate for at least 15 minutes: the slices turn pink and stay crunchy. Finely chop the remaining onion: 40 g for the pico, 15 g for the guacamole, 50 g for the beef. Deseed the chilli, chop very finely and divide into three. Cut the tomatoes into 5 mm dice, drain off their loose juice, then mix with the 40 g onion, a third of the chilli, 20 g lime juice, 8 g chopped coriander and 1/3 tsp salt. Leave the pico de gallo for the flavours to develop while you cook.
2. Guacamole. In a large bowl, use the back of a fork, or a mortar, to crush the 15 g onion, a second third of the chilli, 1/4 tsp salt and 10 g lime juice for 1 minute: this makes a moist paste with a strong onion and chilli aroma. Add the avocado flesh and roughly mash with the remaining 5 g juice and 4 g chopped coriander, leaving chunks. Press cling film onto the surface.
3. Grate the garlic. Heat the 28 cm frying pan over a high heat with the olive oil until shimmering. Spread the beef in a thin layer and brown untouched for 2–3 minutes: a brown crust forms underneath. Break up with a spatula, add the 50 g onion, final third of the chilli and 1/2 level tsp salt, then cook over a medium-high heat for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally: no pink should remain and the onion should turn translucent.
4. Lower the heat to medium. Add the garlic, cumin, oregano rubbed between your palms, both paprikas, ground chilli and pepper; stir in the meat fat for 30 seconds: the spices become fragrant without blackening. Add the tomato purée and cook for 1 minute, scraping the bottom: it darkens and coats the meat. Pour in the 40 g water, loosen the browned juices and reduce over a medium-low heat for 2–3 minutes, stirring occasionally: no liquid should remain at the bottom, and the meat should sizzle again in its fat, glossy and coated in dark red sauce. Turn off the heat and cover: it stays hot for 5 minutes.
5. As soon as the water is added to the beef, heat the second pan, dry, over a medium-high heat and warm the tortillas one at a time for 20–30 seconds per side, between stirs of the beef: they puff in places and develop only faint spots. Stack them as you go inside a folded clean tea towel to keep warm and soft.
6. Drain the pico de gallo and pickled onion. Fill each tortilla with a spoonful of guacamole, beef, pico de gallo and a few slices of pickled onion, three tacos per plate, with lime wedges. Fill at the table at the last moment so the tortillas do not become soggy.