Yield: 4 servings
Time: 30 minutes
After today’s Farmer’s Market, I was thinking about more vegetarian dinners for Saucí Verde. This came together in a flash and was outrageously delicious. Full of layers of flavor, these are delicious and filling.
We already have a butternut squash taco recipe, but this is worth its own write-up (and, well, let’s face it there are still many more taco recipes to come…) This was quick and easy, and made basically out of leftovers.
The paprika, chili, and cumin give the cauliflower lots of earthy body, which is perfectly complemented with some bright Saucí Verde, salty cotija cheese and creamy avocado. The quick-pickled onion was replacing red cabbage slaw we didn’t have but ended up being even better!
Ingredients:
- 1/2 head of cauliflower, chopped into ~ 1/2″ pieces
- 1/2 yellow onion
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp chili powder
- sprinkle of cinnamon
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 red onion, for quick pickling
- 1/2 cup white wine vinegar, or mix 1/4 cup white vinegar and 1/4 cup any other interesting vinegar (sherry, apple cider…)
- 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
- 2 tsp maple syrup (or honey or other sweetener)
- about 3/4 cup cotija cheese, shredded
- cilantro leaves for garnish
- lime wedges for garnish
- 2 avocados cut into cubes
- Saucí Verde
Preparation:
- Preheat oven or toaster oven to 400deg.
- Chop the cauliflower into small-ish pieces (about 1/2-1″), roughly dice the yellow onion.
- Toss the cauliflower and onion in a large bowl with olive oil, paprika, chili, and cumin, salt and pepper and optionally, a little dusting of cinnamon.
- Spread the cauliflower mixture on a baking tray and put in the oven for about 25min.
- Cut the red onion in half then slice into thin half-rings (by making them thin they will absorb the vinegar faster), then place in a mason jar in your sink, where you will pour the vinegar mixture.
- Add the water, vinegar, maple syrup, salt and red pepper flakes to a sauce pan and heat it till simmering, then pour into the jar with the pickles
- Using a spoon or spatula, press the onions into the liquids. If you need more liquid to cover the onions, boil some water and add with a splash more vinegar.
- Let the onion mixture cool and soak in the liquids.
- When cauliflower is just softened but still has a little resistance and some nice little charred marks on it, remove from the oven to the bowl to cool a little.
- Warm up some tortillas, then arrange some cauliflower mixture, pickled onions, avocados, Saucí Verde on them. Sprinkle some cotija cheese on top, then some cilantro leaves.