I absolutely love Mexican food, I find the flavours and the textures to be so good. The combinations of spice, acidity, fattiness make it such a rich cuisine that I cannot get enough of. Unfortunately, up here in Canada we don’t have access to the same quality of Mexican food as could be found in Mexico (duh) or the southwestern US. I am eagerly waiting for my next trip to Mexico when I can eat nearly unethical amounts of food.

However, until then my own cooking will have to suffice to satisfy my cravings. For my birthday this year my wonderful partner Mia got me an authentic Molcajete from an artisan in Mexico, so I have been experimenting a lot with it. On top of making super tasty guac, it works great to mix aromatics and spices and get more flavour out of them. So in this recipe, I use my Molcajete to mash the aromatics, but if you don’t own one, have no fear, that step can be skipped and the instructions to do so are included. 

To get the most out of the flavours in this recipe, the main taco filling is made at least 24 hours in advance to let all the flavours interact. On the day of consumption the recipe comes together super quickly and thus is great for hosting dinners where you want to do minimal effort while entertaining.  

One last quick note before we get into the recipe. I am always very conscious of the fact that I am not of Mexican heritage and do not claim this to be authentic Mexican food. This is an homage to my love of Mexican food. Please, if you ever get the chance, visit authentic Mexican restaurants in your area and support them in your community. But, if you want to make some delicious tacos at home, keep reading! 

Active time: 45 minutes

Cook time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:

Overnight tofu & cauliflower

• 1 block extra firm tofu
• 8 cloves garlic
• 1 tbsp chili powder (not spicy, such as pasilla or ancho)
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• ½ tsp ground coriander
• 2 tbsp lime juice
• 1 red bell pepper
• 1 green bell pepper
• 3 shallots
• 2 jalapenos, seeded
• ¼ cup neutral oil
• 1 tbsp honey
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• ⅛ tsp liquid smoke
• 1 ¼ tsp salt
• 1 large head cauliflower

Sauce & toppings

• 2 avocados
• ⅓ cup mayonnaise
• 2 tbsp lime juice
• 3 tbsp salsa verde
• ¼ tsp salt
• Corn tortillas
• Iceberg lettuce, shaved
• Cilantro, chopped
• White onion, finely diced

Directions

Day before prep

1. Press the tofu by wrapping it in paper towels and placing a heavy pot or pan on top of it and let it sit while the rest is being prepared. 
2. Peel the garlic cloves and add to a Molcajete with chili powder, cumin, coriander and lime juice. Crush until it becomes a consistent and aromatic paste. Set aside. If you do not have a Moclajete, proceed to the next step and add all ingredients to the food processor. 
3. Remove the cores and the veins (white spongy parts inside the pepper) from the two bell peppers. Halve the shallots and remove the tough outer layers. Add the bell peppers, shallots, jalapenos, oil, honey, tomato paste, liquid smoke and salt to a food processor and pulse until a paste. Add to a large tupperware or bowl with a lid. 
4. Quarter the cauliflower and cut the stem out. Using your hands, break the cauliflower into very small florets about 1 cm in diameter and add to the tupperware.  
5. Now that the tofu has been pressed, using your hands, break/squeeze the tofu into the tupperware. The tofu should be the consistency of scrambled eggs. Add the spice paste from the Molcajete into the tupperware and combine well. Store in the fridge until ready for final meal prep (optimally 24-48 hours away)

Day of the meal

6. Heat the oven to 425F. Add the tofu & cauliflower mixture to two lined baking sheets and cook for 10-12 minutes. The cauliflower should be cooked, but still have a bit of crunch to it. 
7. While the mixture is in the oven prepare the sauce; add the avocados to a medium sized bowl and mash. Afterwards, add in the mayonnaise, lime juice, salsa verde and salt and stir to combine.
8. Assemble your final creation; heat your tortillas in a bare cast iron skillet and add a hearty scoop of tofu & cauliflower mixture, then the sauce and finally topping with white onion, cilantro and lettuce. Enjoy!