The combination of sweet, lightly smoked corn and rich, earthy mushrooms is one of the great flavor marriages of Mexican food. In this filling, inspired by one of my favorite salsa recipes in The Great Salsa Book, the fresh corn kernels are dry-roasted to capture the sweet corn flavor and infuse them with an appetizing, smoky perfume. Dry roasting is one of the great culinary techniques that give Mexican cuisine its distinctiveness and meaning, and one easily mastered at home. Very simply and effectively, it intensifies and concentrates flavors and imparts the smoky, primordial quality that is characteristic of so many Mexican dishes. Beyond corn, the technique is also used for garlic, tomatoes, and onions, for fresh and dried chiles, and for seeds and nuts.
Ingredients
makes 6 tacos
Step 1
Cut the prepared poblano chiles into 1/4-inch-thick strips (rajas); set aside.
Step 2
Preheat a heavy skillet large enough to hold the mushrooms in a single layer for about 2 minutes over medium-high heat. Melt the butter in the pan, then add the mushrooms, garlic, salt, and pepper, and sauté until the mushrooms are golden brown and caramelized, 6 to 8 minutes.
Step 3
Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the corn, olive oil, chipotle puree, lime juice, cilantro, and marjoram. Serve immediately or keep warm in the pan until ready to serve.
Step 4
To serve, lay the tortillas side by side, open face and overlapping on a platter. Divide the filling equally between the tortillas and top with salsa and basil. Grab, fold, and eat right away. Or build your own taco: lay a tortilla, open face, in one hand. Spoon on some filling, top with salsa and basil, fold, and eat right away.
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