Epicure
Repeat until you are out of batter.
In a medium bowl, combine the
orange peel, agave, and moscato.
Plate the pancakes, pour the syrup
on them, and top with the toasted
pine nuts.
*Skip the moscato and add 2
tablespoons fresh orange juice
and 1 tablespoon white wine.
Tacos with Salted Grilled
Plantains, Salsa Verde,
and Pepitas
Says Jason: “If the tortilla is the
soul of a taco, then the filling is
the body, and fresh lime and spicy
salsa are the life of it. It’s the
fusion of all three of these
components that makes tacos the
perfect handheld meal. Because the
traditional tortilla for a taco is
only about 5½” in diameter, one
serving is usually two or three
tacos—or four if you’re hungry!”
Makes 12 tacos
Time to Make: 25 to 35 minutes
2 cups fresh masa (corn dough for
making tortillas) or 12 small
premade corn tortillas
2 medium semi-ripe plantains,
peeled
1 tablespoon garlic-infused oil
grated peel and juice of
2 limes
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ancho chile powder
1 ½ cups salsa verde
¾ cup toasted pepitas
2 cups shredded red cabbage
Heat a grill, preferably using
mesquite wood. If using a gas grill,
bring to medium heat and add
soaked mesquite chips in the
smoking box.
While the grill is coming to
temperature, make the tortillas.
Bring a griddle or comal to medium
heat. Lay plastic wrap over the
bottom flap of your tortilla press.
Take 2 to 2½ tablespoons of the
masa and form it into a ball. Lay
this on the plastic wrap, just
slightly off center toward the
hinges of the press. Lay a sheet of
plastic wrap at least the size of
the tortilla press flap over the
masa ball. Press down firmly until
the masa is flat and you have a
tortilla ready to be cooked. This
takes a little practice, so if your
first few tortillas don’t turn out
right, simply re-form the dough
into a ball and press it again. Make
as many uncooked tortillas as your
griddle can handle before laying
them on the hot griddle. Typically
this will be 2 to 4 tortillas. Make
sure to press each tortilla in its
own plastic wrap and keep them in
the wrap until you are ready to lay
them on the griddle.
Brush the plantains with the oil.
Grill them until they are heavily
browned on both sides. Remove
them from the grill and chop into
bite-size pieces.
Immediately toss them with the
lime peel and juice and then the
salt and chile powder.
To each tortilla, add the plantains,
2 tablespoons of the salsa verde,
1 tablespoon of the pepitas, and
the cabbage.
Remove the top layer of the plastic
sheet. Flip the tortilla over and
remove the other layer. Gently lay
it on your griddle. Cook the first
side for 30 seconds to 1 minute,
or until you see the edges of the
tortilla change color.
Flip the tortilla over and cook for
1 minute. Flip it back over one more
time and cook it for another 30
seconds. Remove the tortillas from
the heat, stacking them and keeping
them covered so they don’t dry out.
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