K’s Kitchen: Not your run of the mill taco

By Kathryn Reed

It wasn’t until I started typing the recipe that I figured out why I had so many limes when Pam and Darla went home. I forgot to cut them into wedges and put them on the plate. Oops.

Luckily, that was on of those cooking oops that don’t really matter. But I could see how an extra squeeze of lime would have been great on these tacos.

Another thing I learned in writing this is there is a lot of confusion about poblano and pasilla peppers on the Internet. I kept reading U.S. grocers confuse the two; when the truth is they are different chiles or peppers.

I’m completely confused and hope a reader can clarify the difference between a poblano and pasilla, as well as a chile and pepper.

Neither Grocery Outlet nor Safeway in South Lake Tahoe had poblano. Safeway had a pasilla. I knew it looked like a poblano, but the produce gal clearly didn’t know the difference.

Darla thought the dish was too spicy and kept swigging her beer to cool off her mouth. The rest of us were fine. My barometer is how Sue does with a dish – and she was fine. This meant Pam and I could have used a hair more kick. There are enough opportunities based on the ingredients to adjust the heat index.

The recipe comes from the November 2011 Cooking Light magazine.

Besides being so flavorful, it’s easy to make. This was good, because after a day of skiing at Sierra, the last thing I wanted to do was come home and work up a sweat in the kitchen.

Mushroom, Corn, and Poblano Tacos

2 T olive oil, divided

1 (8 ounce) package mushrooms, sliced

1 C onion, chopped

1 tsp dried oregano

1 tsp garlic, minced

¾ tsp chili powder

¾ tsp ground cumin

1 poblano chile, chopped (abut ½ C)

1½ C frozen whole-kernel corn

1 (14.5 ounce) can no-salt added black beans, rinsed and drained

¼ C salsa verde

1 T fresh lime juice

1 tsp hot sauce

½ tsp salt

8 (6-inch) corn tortillas

¾ C (3 ounces) crumbles queso fresco

¼ C chopped fresh cilantro

¼ C light sour cream

8 lime wedges

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add mushrooms to pan; cook 4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add remaining 1 tablespoon oil to mushrooms. Stir in onion and next 5 ingredients (through poblano); cook 4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add corn and beans to pan; cook 4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove pan from heat; stir in salsa and next 3 ingredients.

Heat tortillas according to package directions. Divide vegetable mixture evenly among tortillas. Top each tortilla with 1½ tablespoons cheese, 1½ teaspoons cilantro, and 1½ teaspoons sour cream. Serve with lime wedges.