Recipes

Mushroom Tacos

Spike Mendelsohn

Washington, D.C

We think there’s plenty of ‘shroom for veg in your tortillas, as evidenced by these flavor-packed mushroom tacos from JBF Chefs Boot Camp alum Spike Mendelsohn. Stuffed to the brim with grilled portobellos, seasoned rice, Monterey cheese, and a silky avocado crema, you could make these on Meatless Monday, Taco Tuesday, or heck, any day of the week, they’re that delicious.

Ingredients

Rice:

  • 1 cup long grain rice
  • 1/4 cup green bell pepper, finely diced
  • 1/4 cup Spanish onion, finely diced
  • 4 cloves garlic, chopped
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 pack Sazón
  • Salt to taste

Avocado Crema:

  • 2 avocados
  • 3 cloves garlic
  • 1 lime, juiced
  • 1 jalapeños, seeds removed
  • 1/2 cup cilantro, leaves and tender stems
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon cumin
  • 2 1/2 tablespoons olive oil

Grilled Portabellos:

  • 1/2 cup olive oil
  • Juice of 2 limes
  • 1/4 cup diced red onion
  • 1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic, chopped
  • 2 sprigs thyme
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon pepper
  • 8 portabello mushrooms (or mushroom scraps)

To serve:

  • 16 to 20 flour or corn tortillas
  • Grillled portabellos, sliced
  • 2 cups rice
  • 1 cup Monterey jack cheese, shredded
  • Avocado crema
  • 1 cup crema
  • 1/2 cup chopped onions
  • 1/2 cup cilantro leaves
  • 1/2 cup sliced radishes (about 6 radishes)

Method

Make the rice: combine rice with 2 1/4 cups water in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium–high heat, and cook for about 8 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium and allow to simmer uncovered until the rice is just tender and the liquid has evaporated, about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat, add in the oil, Sazónm and vegetables. Fluff with a fork and set aside until ready to use.

Make the avocado crema: in a food processor, add all of the ingredients except the olive oil. Turn on the food processor and blend using the pulse button until everything comes together, about 3 minutes. Once the mixture is smooth, blend while adding the olive oil in a slow stream until fully incorporated.

Make the grilled portabellos: in a large mixing bowl, mix together all of the ingredients except the mushrooms. Add the mushrooms to the marinade and toss with until fully coated. Let sit for 5 minutes.

Heat a grill or cast-iron pan to medium–high heat. Working in batches, transfer the mushrooms to the grill or pan. Grill the mushrooms for 2 to 3 minutes on each side, moving frequently to avoid burning. Transfer the cooked mushrooms to a cutting board and slice into 1 inch pieces.

To serve, toast tortillas on the warm grill. Place the grilled mushrooms to the tortilla and top with the rice and jack cheese. Top with the avocado crema and regular crema. Finish with onion, cilantro, and radish.

Yield

6 to 8 servings