Asparagus tacos with cilantro salsa

Tacos are usually associated with meat, dripping pork, or tender lamb, but today's dietary changes have required chefs to get creative and develop recipes for vegetarian versions of this classic dish. I have published a number of vegetarian taco recipes on my blog, and quite frankly, I do love the vegetarian version on occasion as I transform myself to a healthier diet. Have no fear; you will see lots of meaty versions, too.

One of the ingredients that I love but is not available in India is tomatillos. I have worked around this in some recipes using green tomatoes and lime juice. I realize that this is not perfect, but sometimes, we have to get creative to enjoy a recipe that looks wonderful.

We all take tacos as everyday foods today, but I was curious about the history of this dish. One theory that has not been proven is that it came from the silver mine in Mexico in the 18th century. The term "taco" refers to the small amount of gunpowder wrapped in small paper sheets and used to carve the rock for ore. This looked very similar to today's gently folded taco loaded with meat and salsa. The first reference for a taco comes from the 19th century in a dish termed tacos de minero, or miners taco. So, the dish is not as old as we may imagine—more on the history of tacos here.

These tacos are super simple to make and absolutely amazing. The spicy cilantro salsa beautifully compliments the crunchy asparagus, and the flavours dance on your palate. These tacos disappeared faster than I could make them; they were that wonderful.

This is a wonderful book from the famed restaurant in San Francisco. I love the recipes and flavours in this book. The chef has compiled a wonderful selection of recipes, both traditional and contemporary, to make your palate happy and satisfy those cravings for great Mexican food. This is a book I love to cook from.

For more recipes from this cookbook, click here.

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons oil

2 large white onions, thinly sliced in half-moons

4-5 garlic cloves, minced

2-4 jalapeño chilies, seeded and minced, or to taste

Salt, to taste

1 large bunch of asparagus, bottoms peeled and cut into 2-inch peices

Taco shells

Pepper or plain cheddar cheese, or shredded Oaxacan cheese

For the cilantro salsa:

1 large bunch of cilantro, leaves, and tender stems, keeping some leaves for garnish

3 large tomatillos or 2 small green tomatoes + juice of 1 lime

1-2 jalapeño chilies, seeds

2 cloves garlic

1/2 small white onion

To make the salsa:

If using the tomatillos, add the tomatillos (whole), jalapeños, and garlic to a small pot and add 1/4 cup water. Salt and simmer for 6-10 minutes. Drain the water and cool.

Add the cooked mix to a small blender with the cilantro and purée till smooth. Taste and adjust salt and spice. Chill till needed.

To serve, add the onions and mix well. Pour the mixture into a bowl and garnish with the cilantro leaves.

If using green tomatoes, add the tomatoes, cilantro, and jalapeños to a small blender and purée to a rough consistency. You can also finely dice all the ingredients, but I find doing it in the blender easier.

Finely dice the onions and mix in. Squeeze in the lime juice. Allow the flavours to mellow out in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.

Serve garnished with the cilantro leaves.

To make the tacos:

Heat a wide frying pan with the oil and add the onions, jalapeños, and garlic. Sauté on low heat for 5-6 minutes until the onions are very soft and have not taken on any color. Add the asparagus and sauté for 2-3 more minutes until they are tender but still retain a crispness.

To serve, heat the mix well. Spoon into taco shells, letting the asparagus stick out in all directions. Top with cheese while still hot so it melts.

Serve immediately with the salsa on the side.