Restaurant-Worthy Tacos, Made in Your Kitchen
Tacos often get a bad rap, which isn’t unwarranted: Greasy ingredients, fried tortillas, and fatty ground meat make for a delicious bite that’s not exactly waistline-friendly. But the duo behind Chaia (a Washington, D.C.-based vegetarian taco company) is proving that tacos can be a delicious and healthful meal. A fusion of Mexican and vegetarian cuisines, the chefs use local ingredients straight from the farmers’ market to create fresh, flavorful tacos and in honor of Cinco de Mayo, they‘re sharing five simple steps to creating the perfect veggie taco right in your own kitchen. Take a page from their seasonal menu and serve up a tasty Mexican meal that even the biggest carnivore will want to celebrate.
1. Start With a Seasonal Filling
The filling is arguably the most important part of any taco – after all, what’s a delicious tortilla without a flavorful, succulent filling tucked inside? And at Chaia, seasonal, local produce always takes center stage. While your instinct may be to find a recipe and then shop for ingredients, the chefs recommend reversing the process: First, head to the farmers’ market and pick up the produce that’s in season in your area. Then, build your taco around what you found! Located in the Northeast, Chaia is currently serving up lots of potato, asparagus, local greens, and mushrooms, which are abundant at their local farmers’ markets.
2. Add Flavor With Cooking
Instead of depending on added oils and high-calorie sauces to up the flavor profile of their tacos, the chefs at Chaia bring out the natural flavors of the vegetables through their cooking techniques. They lightly coat veggies in extra virgin olive oil (never refined oils!) and assorted combinations of herbs and spices before roasting, sautéing, or braising them until just tender. Your herbs and spices will vary depending on what vegetables you are working with, but the sky is the limit! Garlic, chilis, cumin, and paprika are always great choices.
3. Make Your Own Tortillas
The focus on making everything from scratch doesn’t stop at the filling! The chefs strongly recommend going homemade with your tortillas as well. Not only is it more cost effective and super easy, but the chefs swear by the taste, as well as the delicious looking aesthetic of the slightly charred and uneven edges. They follow this super simple recipe that uses just three ingredients: flour, salt, and water.
4. Choose the Right Cheese
Cheese lovers, rejoice – there’s room for your favorite ingredient in a healthy taco. The key is to go local: While buying your veggies at the farmers’ market, pick up a block of cheese for a much fresher, more flavorful taste. At Chaia, the chefs like to experiment with slightly unconventional cheeses like goat cheese, feta, and farmstead cheese – but any shredded harder cheese will do. When it comes to selecting one that will complement your filling, give a few of their favorite pairings a try: Mushrooms and feta, asparagus and chèvre, or carrots and chèvre.
5. Garnish
Now, for the final touches! With all the flavor you’ve already packed in, there’s no need for heavy sauces and creams. Instead, the chefs suggest adding a garnish of fresh chopped herbs like mint and cilantro, shredded raw veggies like cabbage and radish, and micro greens or sprouts. Finish with a red or tomatillo salsa, or if you’re a sour cream lover, try a dollop of their delicious Red Pepper Yogurt
Komentar
Posting Komentar