Creamy Poblano and Corn Tacos (Tacos de Rajas con Crema)

Dora Ramírez — Thu, 06 Mar 2025 21:29:19 +0000

These are one of my favorite breakfast tacos: poblano chiles are sautéed with onion, garlic, and corn and tossed in a silky vegan Almond Crema. The poblanos bring a smokiness and heat to the dish that is subdued by the creaminess of the sauce. Every time I make this dish I think back to when I worked in my family’s restaurant as a teenager. I had to roast and peel sacks of poblano chiles. I ended up in tears because my hands burned so badly from handling them without gloves, and the cooks made fun of me. I will forever appreciate gloves in the kitchen.

This recipe is excerpted from COMIDA CASERA: More Than 100 Vegan Recipes, from Traditional to Modern Mexican Dishes by Dora Ramírez.

Time-Saving Tip

To cut down on day-of prep time, roast the poblanos and make the Almond Crema the day before and store in separate airtight containers in the fridge. If making the Almond Crema the day of—which is quick and easy to do—just be sure to read the recipe beforehand and soak your nuts ahead of time!

How to Roast Poblano Chiles

You will need to roast the poblano chiles and remove their skin. Roasting the chiles brings out their smoky flavor and makes removing the tough skin easier.

1. Place one or two poblano chiles right on the burner of your gas stove and let the flame char the pepper on all sides. (If you don’t have a gas stove, preheat the broiler to high. Place the chiles on a rimmed baking sheet lined and broil for 1 to 2 minutes, until the skin is black and charred. Flip the chiles and broil for 1 to 2 minutes on the other side.)

2. Place the chiles in a heatproof container and cover with a lid. Let them sit for 5 minutes. This will trap the steam and soften the chiles’ skin, making it easier to peel.

3. With a paring knife and wearing gloves, scrape the skin off the chiles.

4. If you are making rajas, cut the stem off the chiles, remove the seeds, and cut them into strips.

Note: You might be tempted to run the chiles under water to make the peeling easier, which it would, but you risk washing away the veins of the chile, which would dilute some of the heat.

Yield: Makes 12 tacos

Time: 30 minutes

1 large white onion, thinly sliced (about 2 cups)
2 garlic cloves, minced
2¼ cups fresh or frozen corn kernels (about 3 ears corn)
½ cup low-sodium vegetable broth
5 poblano chiles, roasted (see tip, recipe intro), peeled, seeded, and cut into strips
1 cup Almond Crema
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
12 corn tortillas

Instructions

Heat ¼ cup water in a large skillet over low heat. Add the onion and cook for 5 to 6 minutes, stirring often, until it is tender and translucent. Add the garlic, corn, and vegetable broth, increase the heat to medium, cover, and let steam until the corn is tender, for 3 to 4 minutes.
Stir in the poblano chiles and cook for 1 minute, or until they are heated through. Reduce the heat to low and pour in the crema. Add the salt and pepper and stir.
To assemble, one by one heat the tortillas on a skillet or comal over medium heat for 1 minute on each side. Fill each tortilla with 2 tablespoons of the filling and serve immediately.
I do not recommend you store the assembled tacos, but you can store the rajas con crema in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

The post Creamy Poblano and Corn Tacos (Tacos de Rajas con Crema) appeared first on Forks Over Knives.

Almond Crema (Crema de Almendras)

Dora Ramírez — Thu, 06 Mar 2025 21:29:15 +0000

This sauce continues to surprise me every time I make it. It is amazing that a bunch of almonds can make such a creamy and versatile sauce. In Mexico, this is known as a nogada sauce (a sauce made from nuts). Cooks have employed it since the sixteenth century to make dishes like chiles en nogada. Although you may have used cashew crema before, I prefer almonds because they are not as sweet and thus complement the flavors of Mexican cuisine better. You will have to soak the almonds overnight and then peel them, but I promise the extra time this takes is worth it. (See time-saving tip, below.) I use this crema many times in my cookbook, COMIDA CASERA, but it truly shines in the Creamy Poblano and Corn Tacos.

This recipe is excerpted from COMIDA CASERA: More Than 100 Vegan Recipes, from Traditional to Modern Mexican Dishes by Dora Ramírez.

Tips

Time-saver: Use ¾ cup blanched slivered almonds instead (no need to soak or peel them) and blend for an extra 2 minutes. If you don’t have a high-powered blender, pass the crema through a fine mesh sieve.

Cashew variation: For a cashew crema, use 1 cup cashews, soaked overnight in hot water.

Yield: Makes 1½ cups

Time: 7 hours 15 minutes

¾ cup whole raw almonds (see time-saving tip, recipe intro)
1 garlic clove, peeled
¼ cup unsweetened almond milk
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
½ teaspoon salt

Instructions

Place the almonds in a heatproof container and pour in enough boiling water to cover them by 2 inches. Let them soak overnight at room temperature. Drain the almonds. To peel them, place each almond between your thumb and forefinger and press slightly. The skin should pop right off.
Transfer the peeled almonds to a blender, add the garlic, ½ cup water, the almond milk, lemon juice, and salt and blend for about 2 minutes, stopping halfway through to scrape down the sides of the blender. It will start out looking grainy and may be too thin, but as you blend it will become smooth and thicken up. If it is too thick, add an additional ¼ to ½ cup water. It should be the consistency of a heavy cream. Keep in mind that it will thicken as it chills in the fridge.
If the sauce is not as smooth as you would like, you can pass it through a fine-mesh sieve. Use immediately or store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days.

The post Almond Crema (Crema de Almendras) appeared first on Forks Over Knives.

Dora Ramírez Archives - Forks Over Knives

Creamy Poblano and Corn Tacos (Tacos de Rajas con Crema)

Time-Saving Tip

How to Roast Poblano Chiles

Instructions

Almond Crema (Crema de Almendras)

Tips

Instructions