OYSTER MUSHROOM TACOS WITH CILANTRO-LIME CASHEW CREMA
from Forage & Feast
by Chrissy Tracey
It’s Taco Tuesday and you’re looking for a new, exciting recipe. Oyster mushrooms are slow cooked in broth and seasonings, then topped with the most delicious Cilantro-Lime Cashew Crema. The mushrooms are so meaty in texture and become so flavorful that they will satisfy the deepest taco craving. In just under 30 minutes, you’ll have an easy weeknight dinner! I’ve been guarding this cashew crema recipe, and am excited to finally share it with you. It’s a staple I always have on hand.
SERVES 6
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons neutral oil (such as
canola oil or avocado oil)
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 cups oyster mushrooms,
thinly sliced
1 tablespoon sofrito (such as Goya)
¼ cup vegetable stock
1 teaspoon browning sauce (see Cook’s Note below)
½ teaspoon kosher salt
Cilantro-Lime Cashew Crema
1 cup cashews, blanched for 3 minutes
½ cup filtered water
Juice of 3 limes
1 bunch cilantro
½ teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
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10 small tortillas (preferably corn), warmed
Thinly sliced red onion, sliced avocado, chopped fresh cilantro, and chopped tomatoes for garnishing
Lime wedges for serving
Instructions:
1. In a medium skillet over medium-high heat, warm the neutral oil until it shimmers. Add the cumin, coriander, and chili powder and toast for 30 seconds. Stir in tomato paste, and turn the heat to medium.
2. Add the oyster mushrooms and sofrito to the spice paste and stir to combine. Stir in the vegetable stock and browning sauce, add the salt, and turn the heat to low. Cover and let simmer until the mushrooms are fork-tender and have reduced in size by one-third, 8 to 10 minutes.
3. To make the crema: In a blender, combine the cashews, water, lime juice, cilantro, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper. Blend on high speed for 30 seconds, scrape down the sides of the blender, and blend again until smooth and creamy, 15 to 30 seconds more.
(Transfer to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.)
4. Spoon the oyster mushrooms onto the tortillas, drizzle with the cashew crema, and garnish with red onion, avocado, cilantro, and tomatoes. Serve immediately with lime wedges for squeezing.
COOK’S NOTES
Blanching is a technique to preserve the flavor, color, and texture of food prior to cooking. To blanch a green, or mushroom, or nut, bring a medium or large pot of salted water to a boil. Fill a bowl with ice water. Place the food in the boiling water. Most greens require 2 minutes in the boiling water, or 3 minutes when extra fibrous, like collard greens. Mushrooms require 3 to 5 minutes, and nuts 2 to 3 minutes. If blanching a green, the leaves should be wilted but still vibrant in color. Immediately plunge the blanched food into the ice water for about 30 seconds to stop the cooking and then drain.
Browning sauce is a syrup-like savory sauce made from brown sugar. It enhances flavor and adds a rich deep color to food. It can be found in most supermarkets.
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Forage & Feast
Chrissy Tracey
In Forage & Feast, experienced forager and chef Chrissy Tracey takes you on a journey to discover and collect plants and fungi. Use the identification guides and nature photographs to help you forage, then cook your way through fall, winter, spring, and summer with recipes featuring the wild ingredients. No matter where you live, you’ll be able to find recipe inspiration and universally useful foraging advice. From urban magnolia blooms and easy-to-find dandelions to golden chanterelles and sweet pawpaws, Chrissy shows you how to transform nature’s treasures into vegan recipes everyone will love. Discover mouthwatering dishes like:
Interwoven with stories from Chrissy’s own foraging and culinary experiences and accompanied by lush photography, Forage & Feast is the perfect introduction to finding food in the natural world and turning it into something both beautiful and tasty.
