Romesco gives easy vegan tacos a smoky, savory kick

I recently taught a private cooking class for a young couple who requested a vegan menu. I am an omnivore who is partial to vegetables, but I wanted a substantial, exciting dish that would be easy for beginners.

These romesco cauliflower tacos served with cilantro lime rice checked all the boxes. At taco night classes where they were served alongside meatier options like pork carnitas, many carnivores preferred the cauliflower option.

Romesco is the Catalan word for “sauce.” There are many variations, but most feature nuts, tomatoes, dried peppers, garlic, bread, olive oil, and vinegar. It gets blended into a thick, flavorful paste. Save any extra sauce from this recipe for future meals — it punches up meats, soups, sandwiches, poultry, fish, pasta, rice, and vegetables.

Our version here puts a Mexican spin on the classic Spanish sauce. We use the same base of roasted garlic, almonds, and tomatoes, but swap out the vinegar for fresh lime juice. Canned chipotle peppers and smoked paprika lend umami — those deep, savory flavors — to our humble cauliflower. Finally, taco spices like marjoram, cumin, and coriander are included.

Purists will blanch raw almonds to remove the skins before roasting. Or roast and then try to rub off the skins with a towel. I favor a quicker, more rustic approach of leaving the skins on. They disappear once blitzed in a blender.

You may notice two different types of oil are called for. The grapeseed or avocado oil has a high smoke point, and is used here for high-heat roasting. The low smoke point extra-virgin olive oil is reserved for the uncooked sauce, where its flavor can shine.

Cilantro lime rice makes a nice accompaniment. Trust the quantities on the garlic, cilantro, and lime. They will not overpower, as the rice is a mild, blank, and absorbent canvas.

Serve with corn tortillas and garnish as you like. Crunchy toasted pepitas, creamy sliced avocado, and zingy lime wedges are my go-to’s. Many people just piled it all onto the center of a tortilla and ate it like a deconstructed bowl. There is no wrong way here.

• Leslie Meredith is the winner of the 2019 Cook of the Week Challenge and the founder of Farmhouse School. She is available to give cooking demonstrations for libraries, schools and organizations. Reach her at Leslie.FarmhouseSchool@gmail.com.

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Romesco Cauliflower Tacos

For the cauliflower:

2 small heads of cauliflower, broken into small, evenly sized pieces

2 to 3 tablespoons neutral, high-heat oil such as grapeseed or avocado

1 teaspoon ground cumin

½ teaspoon ground coriander

½ teaspoon dried marjoram

1 to 3 teaspoons chili powder, depending on desired heat level

2 teaspoons smoked paprika

2 teaspoons kosher salt

For the sauce:

6 large garlic cloves — skin on

⅓ cup raw almonds

22 oz. (1½ cans) diced tomatoes, drained

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 lime, zest and juice

½ teaspoon ground cumin

½ teaspoon smoked paprika

¼ teaspoon ground coriander

¼ teaspoon dried marjoram

½ teaspoon smoked paprika

1 teaspoon kosher salt

2 to 3 whole chipotle peppers (from a can)

Optional, to serve:

Corn tortillas

Sliced avocados

Toasted pepitas

Lime wedges

Preheat oven to 400°F

Toss cauliflower with grapeseed or avocado oil and spices on a sheet pan. Roast on bottom rack for about 20 minutes or until fork-tender.

On a second sheet pan, roast garlic and almonds for 8-10 minutes. Almonds will turn dark brown but not black and garlic will soften. Almonds may be done before garlic, so keep an eye on progress.

Once the garlic is cool enough to handle, squeeze from the skins directly into a blender. Add the almonds with the remaining ingredients and blend into a smooth paste.

Spread some sauce into a warm corn tortilla and fill with the cauliflower. Add other toppings as desired.

Serves 6 (18 tacos).

— Leslie Meredith

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Cilantro Lime Rice

1½ cups jasmine rice, rinsed and drained

2¼ cups water

1½ tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided

2 small garlic cloves, pressed

1 large or 2 small limes, zested and juiced

3 green onions, white and green parts, finely chopped

¾ cup cilantro, chopped

½ teaspoon sea salt

Add rice, water and 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil to a large saucepan and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer for 25 minutes. Remove from heat and rest for 10 minutes before removing lid and fluffing with a fork.

Add remaining oil, garlic, lime zest and juice, onions, cilantro, and salt. Stir gently to combine and adjust seasonings to taste.

Serves 6

— Leslie Meredith