Pork and mushrooms braised in pasilla chile, for tacos

Cut open the pasilla chilies with scissors, shake out the seeds and pull out the veins (for less heat); tear them into flat pieces.

Cook the peeled garlic cloves in warm lard until golden brown on the outside; transfer to the blender jar.

Toast the chilies a small handful at a time in the same lard for a few seconds, until the insides lighten and they smell aromatic; do not overtoast or they turn bitter. Leave the fat behind.

Ladle hot water over the chilies, weigh them down with a small plate and soak about 30 minutes to rehydrate (20 to 30 minutes typically).

Salt the pork pieces and brown them over a high fire in two batches in the same pan, spread in an uncrowded layer so they brown rather than steam.

Slice the mushrooms; cut shiitake stems thinly across the grain and trim the oyster mushroom base small.

Grind the black pepper, cumin and Mexican oregano fresh and add to the garlic in the blender.

Move the rehydrated chilies to the blender. Taste the soaking liquid and discard it if bitter.

Blend with 1 1/4 cups hot water to a completely smooth puree, with the lid's centre piece out and a damp cloth over the top. With a standard blender, strain through a medium mesh strainer.

Scrape the puree into the hot fat and stir about 5 minutes until reduced, darkened and as thick as tomato paste, dissolving browned bits from the bottom.

Add the pork, mushrooms and 1 1/2 cups warm water; simmer over medium-low heat until the meat is fork tender.

Season with salt, taste, then add a pinch of sugar to bring out the fruitiness; simmer a minute more.

Spoon onto warm corn tortillas and top with queso fresco; chopped green onion or onion and cilantro are optional.