Happy New Year, all! We have another exciting taco post for you! To say goodbye to 2014 and ring in the new year, we had some family over to build their own tacos! I think this just might become our New Year’s Eve tradition! We tried a a couple of new things, including jackfruit! If you’re not sure what jackfruit is, all I can tell you is that it forms strings as it cooks, leading to an interesting and unique texture, as far as vegan foods go. You can find it, generally for very cheap, preserved in brine, in cans, in Asian food markets. You’ll want the young green jackfruit, not that kinds that come in syrup, but that feels obvious.
My husband is allergic beans in their whole form (it appears to be related to their skins and therefore the amount of processing they’ve gone through) so we’re always searching for fun, delicious fillings with tacos. Add to that, we were having family over and weren’t sure of the level of spiciness they were comfortable with and that’s how our favourite filling of the night was conceived: potato and swiss chard. It was buttery and silky, and absolutely perfect with the homemade green salsa (which was amazingly easy and savoury) as well as the array of other toppings that were
available. I’ve included my black bean and eggplant filling again on this post because it is just that good. Put out an assortment of soft or hard shell corn tortillas, tostadas and chips and you’re all set!
You can find our two previous Build-Your-Own-Taco Parties here and here.
Build-Your-Own-Taco Party: The Winter Edition
Serves 6 to 12 people
Homemade Taco Seasoning
Makes ~1/3 cup
2 tablespoons paprika
1 tablespoon cumin
1 tablespoon coriander (that’s the spice, not the herb, cilantro)
1 tablespoon Mexican chili powder
1 teaspoon oregano
Chili flakes, to taste
Mix together and keep in a sealed container to maintain freshness.
Jackfruit Carnita Filling
1 tablespoon canola oil (or other neutral oil)
1 medium onion, peeled and chopped fine
1 15 oz can green jackfruit in brine, drained
1 tablespoon taco seasoning
3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
2 tablespoons green pepper, diced (that’s about one quarter of a pepper)
2 tablespoons pineapple, diced
1/4 teaspoon salt, or more to taste
Freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
Heat the oil in a large skillet, over medium heat and add the onions. Sautee until they become translucent. Add the jackfruit, taco seasoning, garlic, green pepper and pineapple and stir to combine. Lower the heat to medium-low and stir mixture occasionally over about 20 minutes, to help break down the jackfruit. Preheat the oven to 375 F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside. Using a fork, pull the jackfruit into strands (this will be easy and happen naturally). Taste for seasoning and adjust to your liking. Lay filling out on prepared baking sheet and place in the oven for about 45 minutes. You can make the (recipe to follow) roasted corn at the same time, even using the same roasting sheet.
Coriander Roasted Corn
Makes ~1 cup
1 cup fresh, frozen or canned corn
1/4 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon coriander
A pinch of salt and freshly cracked black pepper, or to taste
Preheat oven to 375 F. Combine the corn with oil, coriander and salt and pepper and lay out as flat as you can on a baking sheet. Roast for ~45 minutes, until the corn has started to take on a little darker colour. Serve hot, room temperature or cold.
Potato and Swiss Chard Taco Filling
3 medium Russet potatoes, scrubbed clean, quartered and sliced
1 tablespoon non-dairy margarine
1/2 tablespoon canola oil (or other neutral oil)
~1 cup sweet onion, such as Vidalia, peeled and chopped (this was about 1/3 of a large onion)
1 head Swiss chard, most of the stems removed, roughly chopped and rinsed
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika (sweet or hot)
Splash of lemon juice
Freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
Bring a large pot of well salted water to a boil. Add the potatoes to the boiling water and allow to cook for a couple of minutes. Drain. Heat the margarine and oil in a large skillet, over medium heat. Add the drained potatoes, onion, salt and paprika and sautee for about 5 minutes, or until the potatoes have ever so slightly started to brown. Add the Swiss chard, lemon juice and black pepper and continue to sautee until the chard has wilted. Taste for seasoning and adjust, if needed. Serve hot or room temperature.
Leafy Cauldron’s Famous Black Bean and Eggplant Filling
Makes ~2 cups
Updated from Build-Your-Own-Taco Party: The Autumn Edition
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 small eggplant, ends trimmed, diced and salted (how to pick eggplant can be found here)
1 small yellow onion, peeled and diced
1 tomato, chopped
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1-540 ml can black beans, rinsed well
1 cup green salsa
2 tablespoons taco seasoning
1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
Heat the oil in a large skillet, over medium heat. Add the salted eggplant and let it start to sweat. Add the onion and sautee until it is translucent. Add the tomato and tomato paste and cook until the eggplant is soft. Add the black beans, green salsa and seasoning and start to mash with a fork. You can mash with a fork until it has thickened, or you can take my easy out and put it all in a food processor and pulse until it’s smooth. I prefer the fork method, as it leads to a better, more substantial texture.
Green Salsa
Makes ~1 1/2 cups
6 tomatillos, husked and halved
2 – 3 jalapeno peppers, tops removed
Juice of half a lime
2 cloves garlic, peeled
Handful cilantro, stems included
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt, or more to taste
Combine all ingredients in a blender or food processor and blitz to combine. Taste, and adjust the spice and seasoning to your tastes.
Cabbage and Chayote Salad
1 cup shredded cabbage, I used Savoy
1 medium carrot, peeled and shredded
1 chayote squash, peeled, core removed and sliced very thin (I used a peeler)
2 teaspoons canola oil (or other neutral oil)
1 teaspoon white vinegar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon sugar
Combine all ingredients in a medium sized bowl and toss to combine. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
Accoutrements Suggestions
Leafy Cauldron’s Mango-Pineapple Salsa
Shredded Lettuce
Thinly sliced bell peppers
Chopped red or green onions
Pickled Jalapenos
Your favourite jarred salsa
Diced Tomatoes
Roasted Sweet Potatoes
Chopped Pineapple
Brown rice
Refried Beans
Cilantro
Lime wedges
Guacamole, or avocado slices