Author Notes: There’s a great taco place in Austin called Papalote that won an award for it’s cauliflower tortas. I’ve never tried them- I always opt for meatier fare (turkey mole! tinga de res!), but when I saw a big cauliflower at the farmers’ market, I knew I wanted to turn it into tortas. The cauliflower was roasted with spices until it was speckled with crispy golden brown tips, then piled on a warm bolillo with refried beans, shredded cabbage (for crunch), cotija, avocado, and a peppy little creamy tomatillo salsa. What’s not to love? —arielleclementine
Serves: 4
Ingredients
Roasted Cauliflower Tortas
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1
teaspoon cumin seeds
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1
teaspoon coriander seeds
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1
large head cauliflower, cut into small florets
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1/4
cup olive oil
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freshly ground black pepper
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1
cup refried beans
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2-3
ounces crumbled cotija
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1
cup shredded green cabbage
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1
avocado, sliced thinly
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creamy tomatillo salsa (recipe follows)
Creamy Tomatillo Salsa
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5-6
tomatillos, peeled, rinsed, and halved
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1/2
white onion, peeled and halved again
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2
garlic cloves, peeled
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1
poblano pepper, halved, stem and seeds removed
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1
jalapeno pepper, halved, stem and seeds removed
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juice of half a lime
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handful of cilantro
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kosher salt
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1/2
cup sour cream
Directions
Roasted Cauliflower Tortas
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Crush the cumin and coriander seeds with a mortar and pestle and toss with the cauliflower, olive oil, smoked salt, and pepper. Spread on a sheet pan and roast for 30 minutes. Stir a bit, and roast for 10-15 minutes more, or until the cauliflower is good and caramelized, with lots of crunchy bits.
- While the cauliflower is roasting, heat the refried beans in a small skillet. Slice the bolillos open and toss in the still warm oven to toast up for a minute or two.
- Spread the bottom half of the bolillo with a thin layer of refried beans. Top with a pile of your crispy roasted cauliflower. Garnish with the crumbled cotija, shredded cabbage, sliced avocado, and plenty of the creamy tomatillo salsa. Enjoy!
Creamy Tomatillo Salsa
- Preheat the broiler. Place the tomatillos, onion wedges, garlic, poblano, and jalapeno on a sheet pan lined with aluminum foil. Broil, rotating the sheet pan as necessary, until everything is uniformly charred.
- Move the poblano and jalapeno from the sheet pan to the jar of a blender and place the top on. Allow the peppers to steam in the blender jar for 10 minutes or so. Then, transfer the peppers to a cutting board and remove the charred skins. Chop the roasted peppers and transfer back to the blender, along with the charred tomatillos, onions, and garlic. Add the juice of half a lime, a handful of cilantro, and a couple healthy pinches of kosher salt. Blend until smooth. Add the sour cream and blend again. Taste for seasoning, adding more lime juice or salt if necessary.