How To Make Cauliflower "Al Pastor" Tacos

cauliflowertacos
Nud Dudhia

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Ever heard the old saying "When in London, eat tacos?" Yeah, we hadn't either until we encountered Breddos Tacos, a Mexican joint in London's Clerkenwell neighborhood that's gotten rave reviews for its fresh tortillas, hot salsas, wood-grilled meats, seamless Asian inflections and vegetarian cauliflower "al pastor". Their eponymous new cookbook is packed with all their hits, so pick up a copy and fire up the grill. 

Crema is a kind of Mexican sour cream/crème fraiche hybrid. It's not difficult to make and the taste is far superior to anything you'll get from normal sour cream or crème fraîche.

Reprinted with permission from Breddos Tacos

How To Make Cauliflower "Al Pastor" Tacos

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Prep Time
1
hour
Cook Time
4
hours
servings
4
cauliflowertacos
Total time: 5 hours

Ingredients

  • 1 head cauliflower
  • 2 teaspoons ground hibiscus flowers (optional)
  • Scant 1/2 cup natural yogurt
  • Scant 1/2 cup al pastor marinade
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1 teaspoon crushed black pepper
  • Scant 1 cup crema or sour cream
  • 2 chipotles in adobo
  • 1 dried habanero chili
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 8 corn tortillas
  • 1/2 teaspoon ancho chili oil
  • Pink pickled onions
  • 4 radishes
  • 1/2 pineapple
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
  • 2 tablespoons achiote paste
  • 1 onion
  • 1 tablespoon cider vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
  • 3 allspice berries
  • Scant 1 cup organic double (heavy) cream
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons organic buttermilk
  • 6 Ancho Chilies
  • 6 guajillo chilies
  • 1 3-ounce canned chipotle chilies
  • 4 garlic cloves
  • 1 cup cider vinegar
  • 1/2 teaspoon Mexican oregano
  • 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
  • 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
  • 1/2 teaspoon cloves
  • 1 1/2-inch stick cinnamon or 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon powder
  • 5 garlic cloves
  • 20 Ancho Chilies
  • 4 sprigs rosemary
  • 2 sprigs thyme
  • 4 cups olive oil
  • 1 red onion
  • 2 large habanero chilies
  • Scant 1/2 cup freshly squeezed strained lime juice

Directions

  1. :::marinade:::
  2. Make the marinade by blending all the ingredients together. You may need to scrape down the sides of the jug to ensure everything gets incorporated.
  3. :::crema:::
  4. Heat the double cream in a pan to 95ºF, take off the heat and pour into a glass jar. Add the buttermilk, place the lid on the jar loosely and store in a jar in a warm place for 24 hours. Then tighten the lid and store in the fridge.
  5. :::adobo:::
  6. In a non-stick pan over a high flame, toast the ancho and guajillo chillies until they begin to blister, then soak them in warm water for about 25 minutes, until soft and malleable.
  7. Remove the chillies and discard the soaking water. Put the soaked chillies into a blender with the remaining ingredients and purée until smooth. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and stir thoroughly with a rubber spatula. Keep refrigerated.
  8. :::ancho chili oil:::
  9. Put all the ingredients into a pan and cook over a medium heat until you see bubbles forming. Turn the heat down and continue to cook for a further 20 minutes. Remove from the heat and leave to steep for 2 hours.
  10. Strain the oil through a fine sieve into a bottle, pressing down on all the solids to extract their flavour.
  11. :::onions:::
  12. Prepare the pickles by macerating the sliced red onion and habanero in the lime juice. Set aside in the fridge.
  13. :::tacos:::
  14. To make the habanero crema, whiz all of the ingredients together in a blender until you have a smooth sauce.
  15. In a bowl, whisk together the marinade ingredients until thoroughly combined. Rub the marinade mixture into the cauliflower, being sure to completely cover the two halves. Set aside to marinate for 3–4 hours.
  16. Heat your oven to 425ºF. Put the cauliflower halves on a baking tray, cut sides down, and bake in the oven for 1–1 1/2 hours. Take out of the oven, sprinkle the hibiscus powder over the cauliflower and slice into 1 1/2 inch segments.
  17. Warm up your tortillas and place some of the cauliflower segments on each one. Follow with the habanero crema, ancho chilli oil, pink pickled onions, radishes and pineapple sticks.
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