Get Fresh: Culinary Creativity Gets Playful

Culinary creativity gets playful with the vibrant colors and delicate flavors of edible flowers that can transform everyday dishes with a simple touch of elegance.

Roasted Cauliflower Tinga Tacos with Chili-Lime Slaw

Adapted from Vanilla and Bean

Ingredients

For the Tacos:

• 1 head of cauliflower, chopped
• 2½ Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
• 1 c. purple onion
• 1 tsp. fine sea salt
• 1⁄2 tsp. ground cumin
• 1½–2 Tbsp. chipotle chiles and adobo sauce
• 1 c. fire roasted tomatoes
• 1⁄2 c. salsa
• 12–14 6-in. corn or flour tortillas

For the Chili-Lime Slaw:

• 3 c. purple and green cabbage, shredded
• 1 Tbsp. fresh jalapeño
• 1⁄2 c. cilantro, chopped
• Juice of two limes
• 1⁄2 tsp. fine sea salt

Serve with (options):

• Creamy guacamole
• Avocado crema
• Pepita cream
• Sour cream

Directions

For the Tacos:

Set oven rack to center of the oven and preheat to 425 degrees. Line a sheet pan with silpat or parchment paper. Toss the cauliflower with 1½ tablespoons olive oil and roast for 15–20 minutes, tossing once while roasting. It’s done when still firm yet lightly golden around the edges. Set aside. While the cauliflower is roasting, heat the remaining tablespoon of olive oil in a large sauté pan until it shimmers. Add the onion and sauté on medium low for about 5–8 minutes or until softened. Sprinkle in salt and cumin and add the chipotles with adobo sauce. Stir to coat the onions. Add the tomatoes, salsa, and roasted cauliflower. Stir to warm through, about 5 minutes. Salt to taste. Remove from heat and cover until ready to serve.

For the Chili-Lime Slaw:

In a medium bowl, mix the red and green cabbage, jalapeño, cilantro, lime juice, and sea salt. Set aside or rest in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

To Assemble:

Warm tortillas in a cast iron skillet or over an open stovetop flame turning with tongs a few times to lightly char. Wrap warmed tortillas in foil and place in a warmed toaster oven on low heat until ready to assemble. When ready to serve, spoon a smear of guacamole, sour cream, or pepita cream down the center of each tortilla. Then spoon a bit of cauliflower mixture evenly over each. Top with slaw and optional condiments. Refrigerate leftover cauliflower mixture in a lidded container for up to three days or it may be frozen for up to a month.

Blackened Shrimp Tacos with Dragonfruit Salsa

Adapted from Love & Olive Oil

Ingredients

For Pink Corn Tortillas:

• 1 c. masa harina flour
• 1 Tbsp. dragonfruit powder or beet root powder, sifted
• 1⁄4 tsp. salt
• 1⁄2–⅔ c. warm water

For Salsa:

• 1 large dragonfruit, flesh scooped out and cut into cubes (about 2 cups cubed)
• 1 medium jalapeño, seeded, deveined, and finely minced
• 1⁄4 medium red onion, finely chopped
• 1⁄4 c. fresh cilantro, chopped
• 1 tsp. lime zest
• 1 Tbsp. lime juice
• 1⁄2 tsp. fleur de sel or flake sea salt
• 1⁄4 tsp. chili powder

For Avocado Crema:

• 1 ripe avocado, flesh scooped out and pit discarded
• 2 Tbsp. Greek yogurt
• 2 Tbsp. sour cream
• 2 Tbsp. packed fresh cilantro, plus more for garnish
• 2 Tbsp. freshly squeezed lime juice 
• 1⁄2 tsp. salt
• 1⁄4 tsp. chili powder
• ⅛ tsp. garlic powder
• 2 Tbsp. milk, more or less as needed

For Blackened Shrimp:

• 1 lb. medium/small shrimp (51–60 size), thawed, peeled, and deveined
• 4 tsp. chili powder
• 2 tsp. smoked paprika
• 1 tsp. garlic powder
• 1 tsp. dried oregano
• 1 tsp. ground cumin
• 3⁄4 tsp. salt
• 1⁄2 tsp. ground black pepper
• Vegetable oil, for cooking

Directions

For Tortillas:

Whisk together masa, dragonfruit powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Add 1⁄2 cup water and mix well, kneading until dough comes together in a ball. Add more water as necessary. The dough should be soft and pliable but not sticky. Divide dough into eight even balls. Place on a plate and lightly cover with plastic wrap or a tea towel. Set aside for 15–20 minutes. Place two pieces of plastic or parchment in a tortilla press. Place one ball between the layers. Press down firmly on the tortilla press to smash the ball into a 5-inch circle. For thinner tortillas, roll out a bit more with a rolling pin, then cut into a perfect circle using a 5-inch round cookie cutter. Any scraps can be gathered and re-rolled into another tortilla. To cook tortillas, preheat a flat skillet or griddle over medium heat. Gently lay one tortilla at a time on the hot pan and cook for about 45 seconds, then flip and cook for another 45 seconds. The tortilla will lighten slightly in color and take on a stippled texture. It may form a few bubbles, but it should not brown in this amount of time. Transfer cooked tortillas to a plate and cover tightly with plastic wrap.

For Salsa:

Combine dragonfruit, jalapeño, red onion, cilantro, and lime zest in a medium bowl. Add lime juice, salt, and chili powder, and toss to coat. Taste and season with additional salt and/or chili powder if desired. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

For Avocado Crema:

In a blender, combine avocado, yogurt, sour cream, cilantro, lime juice, salt, chili powder, and garlic powder. Pulse to combine. Add milk, one tablespoon at a time, until mixture blends easily. Two tablespoons should be plenty for a thick sauce to spread on the bottom of the tacos. If you prefer to drizzle the sauce on top, add another tablespoon or two as needed.

For Shrimp:

Pat shrimp dry. In a small bowl, mix together chili powder, paprika, garlic powder, oregano, cumin, salt, and pepper. Sprinkle mixture over shrimp, coating both sides evenly. Preheat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil to the hot skillet, and heat until shimmering. Add shrimp, arranging in a single layer in the bottom of the pan. Cook for 1–2 minutes per side or until shrimp are opaque and sides are browned.

For Assembly:

Arrange warm cooked tortillas on serving plates. Spoon some avocado cream sauce down the center of each tortilla. Top with 4–6 blackened shrimp, followed by dragonfruit salsa. Top with more chopped cilantro.

Editor’s Tip: You can purchase premade pink tortillas or use any color tortillas.

Botanical Tamales

Adapted from Saveur

Ingredients

• 18 corn husks
• 3½ c. masa harina
• 1 Tbsp. kosher salt
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 3 c. vegetable stock
• 1⁄4 c. extra virgin olive oil
• 1 c. assorted edible flowers, washed, and patted dry
• Salsa or hot sauce, for serving (optional)

Directions

To a large bowl, add the masa harina, baking powder, and salt. Stir to combine, then make a well in the center and add the stock and olive oil. Using your hands, mix until dough forms into a ball. Cover with a kitchen towel to prevent the dough from drying out. Drain the corn husks and blot them dry with a clean kitchen towel. Lay one husk at a time on a clean work surface. Arrange a few edible flowers face down over the husk, then add a few sprigs of fresh herbs. Scoop 1⁄4 cup of the masa onto the husk and then, using your hands, gently press and spread the masa into an even layer, about 1⁄4-inch thick. Fold the long sides of the husk over the filling to enclose, then fold the narrow end of the husk down. Tear a spare corn husk into thin strips and use the strips to tie each tamale, securing the three folded sides; one end of the tamale will remain open. Repeat with the remaining masa and husks. To a deep pot fitted with a steamer basket, add enough cold water to reach just below the bottom of the steamer. Arrange the tamales in the steamer so that they are standing upright, with open ends pointing up. Bring to a boil over high heat, then turn the heat to medium-low, cover, and cook until the tamales hold their shape and pull cleanly away from the wrappers when tested, 20–30 minutes. Serve hot, with salsa or hot sauce on the side, if desired.