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Sunday, July 18, 2010

Zucchini, Potato, Chipotle Tacos on Homemade Corn Tortillas...and a peek at the garden.

I love tacos. True story.  I'm not talking about the seasoned meat, lettuce, tomato, cheese, onion-type of tacos...although, I do love those, too.  I'm talking about the concept of tacos in general.  Not being confined to the the norm.  There are so many delicious concoctions you can stuff inside a warm tortilla.  Use what is seasonal...use what sounds good to your soul...use what you have in your garden, your fridge, your pantry...use what you see growing in your neighbors garden kidding.  We had a few small zucchini we brought home from our trip to the community garden...and some fresh oregano...mmmm.  This is possibly one of the simplest concoctions...but I kid you not...it's also one of the tastiest.  Originally we made some for brunch, but I ended up making them again.  For dinner.  On the same day.  Seriously good eats.

Zucchini, Potato, Chipotle Tacos
from the kitchen of girlichef

For these tacos, use the ingredients in whatever amount you and those you're feeding enjoy.  We like our heat, so we use a decent amount of chipotle...but you can just add a dab if you don't dig it so much.  Using freshest ingredients and eating them right after they're made is key here!

Potatoes, cubed
Zucchini, sliced
Olive oil (not extra virgin)
Chipotles in adobo
fresh Oregano
salt & freshly ground pepper
Corn Tortillas, preferably homemade (see recipe below)

Drizzle some olive oil in a pan the right size to fit your ingredients.  Heat it over medium and add the potato chunks.  Sauté them until they are just beginning to get tender and slightly golden.  Add the zucchini slices and cook for another minute or so, until just soft and golden.  Add a sliced chipotle and drizzle in some of the adobo sauce.  Throw in some fresh oregano.  Remove from heat.  Season to taste w/ salt & pepper.  Stuff into warm corn tortillas and enjoy. Immensely.

Okay, homemade tortillas are one of the easiest things to make...like, ever.  Totally.  I'm feeling my inner valley girl today...you'll have to excuse me.  Now, I guess you can't call these completely homemade, because I use masa harina...but I  am hoping to be able to bring you some that are entirely homemade soon...we have some friends that are in Mexico right this very moment, as we've asked them if they can bring us back a mill to grind our own corn (and other things) when they come back next week.  It all depends on if they can fit it in their things. Fingers crossed!!  But these are as homemade as I can get right now.  And if not having a tortilla press holds you back from making your own...stop letting it!!  I've lost mine...don't ask me how...so I just use what I have available- my slab of granite, a sheet of plastic, a heavy pot, and a rolling pin.
Corn Tortillas
yield: ~16 tortillas
This is the basic formula using any brand of Masa Harina. 

2 c. Masa
~1 1/4 c. water

Place masa in a bowl.  Add ~1 c. of water and mix it up using your hands.  It should still be a bit dry at this point.  Little by little, add more water, gathering and kneading with your hands until the mixture just holds together.  It is preferable that it be more on the dry side...otherwise the dough will be too sticky (in which case, add a little more masa in...but this can be a vicious circle).  Knead it together quickly and let it sit, under a damp towel while you prepare everything else.

Heat a heavy comal or skillet...heavy, I think cast iron works best...over med-high heat.  It should be smokin' hot (~425 degrees F).  Either prep your tortilla press & 2 sheets of plastic OR use a slab of granite or marble....or a hard surface and some plastic. 

Divide the dough evenly into 16 balls.

This is what I do w/out a tortilla press:  Place one ball on the slab or granite.  Cover with a sheet of plastic (I use a gallon-size baggy) and press down with a heavy pot.  You'll have a nice circle of dough now.  I then continue to roll it to the thickness I want with a rolling pin (over the plastic).  This doesn't leave perfectly circular edges...but if you know me at all, you know I love rustic food...and they look totally rustic.  I then use a bench scraper to lift the dough from the granite slab and lay it onto the pipin' hot comal.  If you don't have a slab or granite, use a sheet of plastic on bottom and top, and use the same process.  You should be able to peel the rolled dough from the plastic instead of using a bench scraper.  If you have a tortilla press, simply line w/ plastic on both sides and press.  Pfft...easy. 

Leave it on the first side for ~30 seconds.  Flip it and leave another 30 seconds.  Flip one last time and leave another 15 seconds or so.  Eat it warm...it's bliss.  Or, let 'em cool and store them.  Heat up as you would any tortilla before using. 


I also wanted to show you what we harvested from the earth in our community garden earlier in the day.  I love bringing home a little basket of freshly grown vegetables.  I find it thoroughly satisfying...down to my very soul...and it's something the kiddos love, too...getting their hands dirty.  Alot of the satisfaction comes when you nourish your bodies with the very food you nurtured and watched grow.  This is DQ, searching the ginormous zucchini plants for some zucchini...the same zucchini we used in the tacos.

Although there were several more types of herbs, I only gathered Italian Parsley, Oregano, and thyme today...because I knew I'd use those right away!  The oregano was such a green, earthy addition to the tacos!

I also brought home some Mustard Greens and Kale...love those greens!

The Roma's and the yellow cherry tomatoes...only brought home a few cherry tomatoes...none of the bigger varieties were ready yet.

In my humble opinion, no garden is complete without a tribute to the sun...







This post is linked to:
24TbadgeGIRLICHEFMyMeatlessMondaysHey What's For DinnerBYOBIIPTacoscornevent------->an event originated at Mharo Rajasthan Recipes!

Would you like to comment?

  1. Well if people can put fish in tacos, then your veggie tacos are perfectly acceptable in my book! Thanks for the tips on making my own tortillas. I have a bag of masa harina and Alexis has been wanting for me to make my own. I feel ready to do it after reading your explanation.

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  2. We like tacos too thought we don't eat them that often. We need too.

    Tell us more about your garden? A community one? How does that work?
    ~ingrid

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  3. I love tacos de calabacitas - these look so good on your tortillas and I briefly saw sopes on my reader - you should totally follow through with that post - sopes are a big favorite around here!~ (sorry to blow your cover)

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  4. Thanks guys =) Ingrid...there are different types of community gardens. Some are plots of lands owned by the city that families can claim a portion of and plant/harvest there if, say, they don't have a yard of their own. Some gardens are communal, where you rent/contribute money, time, work, seeds, etc...people who own a share work with the others to figure out what to plant and then share in the harvest. And yet others are planted & tended by a group of people who want to bring knowledge and fresh food to those in the community who may not otherwise be exposed to it...they let anybody who wants some freshly grown food come in and pick! We have all of those types here in South Bend. The one that my family is a part of is one of the latter-type. While we have a bit of land at home...and have some things in our own bit of earth for just ourselves, being a part of the community garden allows us to experiment with things we may not have otherwise planted or learned to harvest. There are work days when anybody can come in to plant, weed, tend, water, etc. Also, anybody in the community is allowed to come in and pick food for free...whether they've worked the land or not. It is great exposure and an introduction...it gets people excited to start their own gardens!! There's also a very small Urban Market (farmer's market) that sets up shop on Saturday mornings...connected with the community garden. It's such a fabulous opportunity and one I hope all communities adopt soon!!!!

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  5. LOL, Christo. I hate it when I accidentally hit publish. I actually hit enter while uploading pix and yup, my cover was blown!! LOL, I'll get those up soon, though...we luv 'em, too.

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  6. With zucchini being so plentiful now that is one great way to use it. So creative, definitely delicious looking!

    Community gardening is a wonderful thing. We have some acreage but my lazy butt just doesn't get out and use it.

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  7. Love these - fresh, seasonal, and beautiful. If you grind your own corn to make tortillas you will put us all to shame!!

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  8. I love thinking outside the box with the tacos. Using the goodness of the earth's bounty is a grand taco indeed.

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  9. Nice veggie version indeed and great garden. I am trying a plant of cherry tomatoes for the first time this year....tomatoes on the 18th floor lol.

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  10. Rick Bayless has a potato and chard taco that I love dearly. love tacos, I'm slow roasting pork right now in a wonderful earthy sauce for Tacos al Pastor. Beautiful garden shots.

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  11. These tacos look wonderful, and your garden is so happy:)

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  12. I just bought a bag of masa harina and was going to make tortillas when I can find my tortilla press...I am totally serious. I feel so good that I'm not the only one that can misplace a tortilla press. Okay next you're going to grind your own flour?

    Nice veggie combo for the tacos, I gotta try them. I want to try to make bang bang shrimp ones too!

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  13. oh these look awesome and wow what a cool vegetable garden

    Rebecca

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  14. You know I haven't made the corn version of tortillas yet. I've been so used to making the flour ones.

    Geez....now I want tacos!!!! lol

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  15. Ha! I made these for our dinner tonight, because...tah dah I made brisket for tacos- YUMMO on yours too!

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  16. Your tacos look delicious--love the zucchini and potato combo. The community garden is such a great concept--thanks for showing us a glimpse. ;-)

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  17. Oh my gosh! Now THAT is a taco! I will but dream of homemade corn tortillas. I am afraid the ones from Chicago are as close to homemade that I will come. I love that you are gutsy and talented enough to actually make these types of items from scratch. I live vicariously through you!

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  18. What a beautiful, healthy and delicious taco. What better summer ingredient than the Summer zucchini, the gift that keeps on giving all season to highlight in your tacos.

    Love the community garden. It's important to teach children and adults too, where their food comes from.

    Great post!

    P.S. i tried planting a vegetable garden this year and the deer were thankful that I thought about them-they ate everything! (ugh).

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  19. yah! Heather, i have been meaning to ask you for an easy tortilla recipe! No more buying mine from trader joes! I have the masa harina already so i am gonna make these really soon!

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  20. Yummy! These look sooo good! Nice to have this as a change from beans and cheese and veggies (which is what I ate tonight). I love your recipes!

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  21. The best thing about tacos really is that you can just throw anything in em! And they always taste good. I love that you made your own tortillas...my kind of gal.

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  22. Lucky you! The community garden provides you with so many fresh herds and veggies.

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  23. I love your vegetarian tacos (zucchini and potatoes are my favourite) and how you get them from your garden! So fresh and lovely!

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  24. Brilliant! Thanks for popping by into the party. More than welcome :)

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  25. Perfect! I am overrun with zuchinni and potatoes right now!

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  26. Wow, homemade tacos...they sure look yummie :-)
    The pictures of your garden are awesome...absolutely lovely.

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  27. I love veggie Tacos, yours look absolutely delicious. Zucchini is one of my faves. Thank you for your comment on my blog :) I really enjoyed looking through yours, you have amazing recipes and beautiful photos. By the way are you a Latina? or your Hubby is the Latino ?:)

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  28. Gorgeous as ALWAYS!! lovely post and pictures of the garden. Yummy my zukes are coming in soon :)

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  29. I adore the irregular shapes, too. Adds such a rustic, quaint feeling to the whole meal!

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  30. Hey Spicie!! It is my husband...he's Mexican...but I'm a Latina at heart ;)

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  31. What lovely fresh summer tacos! And your garden looks incredible too!

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  32. Gasp. Do people really grind their own corn to make tortillas?! And I was so proud of myself for making my own tortillas using masa harina! ;)

    Love pics from the garden too!

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  33. I'm so jealous of your garden! Perfect tortillas and delicious looking filling with the potatoes and zucchini :D

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  34. I love tacos of any kind! SHAME SHAME ON YOU for using Masa Harina!!LOL. Those are some serious artisan tortillas. You are very ambitious and talented. What a beautiful garden!

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  35. If i made my tortillas without a press, they'd end up being square..i suck with the rolling pin LOL. Loe the zucchini potato combo...YUM!
    Btw...I work in the heart of said "valley"...like OMG...totally gag me with a spoon! And you know what? once a valley girl, always a valley girl...I work with a few and they still have that "tone" in their voice LOL

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  36. These veggie tacos sound so good. I never really get very creative with tacos - I think that needs to change SOON! Thanks for the inspiration, Heather. And your garden looks BEAUTIFUL. It made me jealous ;)

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  37. Your garden looks amazing! Everything looks so fresh- I love it! And very creative idea for a Taco!

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  38. I love that you have access to a community garden -very cool! I've gotta try my hand at homemade corn tortillas. I know we would love them. Great post!

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  39. LOL I think i already drooled all over this post! Thanks for sharing it on the two for tuesday recipe blog hop! Hey! I want some help in the garden like YOU have!

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  40. I haven't had homemade corn tortillas in YEARS. I love how thick and almost nutty they are. Reminds me of my grandma.

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  41. I've got a recipe for chorizo and potato tacos that I love, and I will definitely be tossing in some zucchini next time! Good for nutrition, color, flavor, and using up extra zucchini. :)

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  42. Um, jealous much? That garden of yours looks amazing!

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  43. I love your makeshift tortilla press! I've always tried rolling tortillas out and so have resorted to adding wheat flour to the corn flour. I must try your method.

    -Elizabeth

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