Zucchini Mushroom Tacos with Homemade Tortillas

These delicious vegetarian soft tacos are my pick for I Heart Cooking Clubs 1st week cooking Chef Rick Bayless's recipes.  This is actually the first Rick Bayless recipe I've ever tried! I do not own any of his books yet (I have ordered one and it is on the way), so checked out a few from the library. I had heard of Rick Bayless before and knew he was known for Mexican cooking, but didn't know much else about him.  Thanks to IHCC I've now got a TiVo season pass for his show, "Mexico One Plate at a Time,"  (before IHCC I didn't even know he had a show!) and am looking forward to learning more about "true" Mexican cuisine throughout the next six months while IHCC cooks Rick Bayless recipes.

I love Mexican food and having lived in Texas for a little bit,  have experienced a little bit of everything from semi-authentic to Americanized Tex-Mex (which picky hubby and I love, we are always looking for a new Mexican place to try on date night).  I also love to cook Mexican (once again, more like American Tex-Mex) at home and we often have Mexican nights with the standard tacos plus enchiladas, chimichangas (these are often requested), burritos, etc. and lots of sides. I also love doing a Mexican buffet when hosting parties at our house since there is something for everyone to enjoy!

Zucchini Mushroom Tacos

Tacos de Calabacitas y Hongos 

adapted from Mexican Everyday

Serves 4

1 and 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 medium white onion, sliced 1/4 inch thick (I used 1/2 teaspoon onion powder)

3 ounces mushrooms (shiitake, oyster, portobello or the like), stemmed and sliced about 1/2 inch thick (you'll have a scant cup) -- okay, I used potobellos and weighed out 3 ounces and that was only one portobello...next time I would use a ton more mushrooms

One 15 ounce can diced tomatoes in juice (preferably fire-roasted), drained -- I used Muir Glen Fire Roasted

1 canned chipotle chile en adobo, seeded

1 and 1/2 teaspoons chipotle canning sauce

2 medium (about 12 ounces) zucchini, cut into 1/2 inch cubes

Salt

1/2 to 3/4 cup (2 to 3 ounces) crumbled Mexican queso fresco or other fresh cheese such as feta or goat cheese -- I used feta since I had some on hand, but would love to try this with some queso fresco and goat cheese

12 warm corn tortillas, store bought or home made -- I made flour tortillas

Hot sauce for serving

Add the oil to a very large (12 inches) skillet and set over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring regularly until beginning to soften, about 2 minutes. Add the mushrooms and cook about 2 minutes more, stirring regularly, until their liquid has evaporated and the mushrooms are beginning to brown.  

 

While the mushrooms are cooking, pour the tomatoes into a food processor or blender. Add the chipotle chile and its canning sauce and process until smooth.

When the mushrooms are ready, add the tomato mixture and cook, stirring regularly, until the mixture has thickened to the consistency of canned tomato sauce, about 3 to 4 minutes.

Add the zucchini and continue to cook, stirring every once in a while, until the zucchini is cooked through but still a little crisp, 8 to 10 minutes.  Taste and season with salt, about 1/2 teaspoon.

Scoop into a bowl...

and garnish with the crumbled cheese.

Serve with the warm tortillas and hot sauce for everyone to make soft tacos.

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These were very yummy, nice fresh flavor with a little kick! I made them for dinner one night while picky husband was working late (he doesn't like mushrooms or zucchini) for the kids and myself and was pleasantly surprised when all three kids ate their tacos and liked them!  Score one for Rick Bayless! They said they were a little spicy but not too much and loved the feta cheese.  I often make veggie tacos but never like these! These were a delicious change of pace and I will make them again for sure, just adding some more mushrooms since three ounces was not enough mushroom for a mushroom fan like me :)