Well, scratch that.
It’s not really fair.
Because any form of any taco makes me want to faceplant into dinner. But these ESPECIALLY make me want to faceplant extra-hard, brush burns, broken noses and all. Totally worth it.
AND! Not only that, but I finally got my husband on the Mexican-food train. I picked him up at the station and banned him from ever stepping off that ride again.
Except.
It’s sort of a lie, because he started eating a lot of Tex-Mex while traveling for work and I just happen to ONLY eat a lot of Tex-Mex while he is traveling for work, but now he is so hooked that he doesn’t look at me like I have a third eye when I suggest it for dinner ten days in a row. And he’s eating it up, literally.
These don’t count, because he won’t eat them for dinner since they don’t have chicken, steak, chicken, fish or chicken, buuuuut he would eat them as a side dish. I’m not even lying.
Oh he also tried to tell me about these delicious tacos he had while traveling that were topped with chipotle mayo. Um, mayo? I screamed in his face. No one would put MAYO on a taco!
Clearly you now have an idea about how conversations go in this house. And how… easy… I am to get along with. Cough Cough.
He swore it was mayo though. I swore on my teddy bear that it could seriously NOT have been mayo, and that it had to be sour cream, and hahahaha! – he “hates” sour cream and he ate it anyway! I win! I swore on my freaking teddy bear after all.
But no. He found a link to the place online that clearly said mayo. WHAT. Whomp whomp.
I’m not about to put mayo on my tacos any time soon, but I’m pretty cool with putting just about everything else on there. Like… EVERYTHING ELSE.
No, really.
So this taco was inspired by a recent trip to California with Thermador and my new favorite local taco place here in Pittsburgh. It’s sort of a fusion of both meals I recently ate, and it’s the newest way that I am forcing myself to eat vegetables. Because when vegetables are sauteed in butter, stuffed inside warm corn tortillas (yellow FTW), topped with cold avocado, grated cheese and a crema of choice… it’s like… you’re not even eating vegetables. They don’t even exist. Because it’s just a TACO. No vegetables allowed.
Dinner? Yes? Yes.
Grilled Corn, Mushroom + Roasted Poblano Tacos
serves 4
5 large ears of sweet corn, grilled and cut off the cob
2 large poblano peppers
2 cups sliced cremini mushrooms
1/2 teaspoon olive oil
1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 large avocado, thinly sliced
4 ounces monterey jack cheese, freshly grated
8-10 small corn tortillas, warmed
To roast peppers: remove core and seeds from peppers and slice into pieces. Lay on a baking sheet and preheat the broiler in your oven. Place under the broiler skin-side up until skins are completely charred and black – this took about 10 minutes for me but will depend on your oven. Just check every 2 minutes or so. Immediately remove peppers from oven and using kitchen tongs, quickly place them in a ziplock bag then seal it. Set aside for 20-30 minutes.
While peppers are “steaming” in the bag, heat a large skillet over medium low heat and add butter and olive oil. Toss in mushrooms, stirring to coat, then cover and let cook for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat, season with salt and pepper and set side.
Assemble tacos by placing generous spoonfuls of corn, mushrooms and peppers in warm tortillas. Top with cheese, avocado slices and chipotle crema.
Chipotle Crema
[adapted from emeril]
2 tablespoons sour cream
3/4 cup half and half
1 tablespoon adobo sauce (from a can of chipotles in adobo)
juice of half a lime
1/8 teaspoon salt
Combine all ingredients in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Emeril recommends letting his sit over night to develop culture but uh… I didn’t do that. It’s delicious this way too!
I knew I liked you.










I’m Jessica and this is where I share my stuff. You will find a balance of healthy recipes, comfort food and indulgent desserts.
Chipotle Crema and roasted corn in there?? HECK YEAH! Good job on this one Girl. Perfect summah dinner recipe!
Reply
GRILLED corn. Duh
Reply
Grilled corn, mushrooms and roasted peppers…YES PLEASE! That’s my kind of taco!
Reply
OR faceplant into my computer screen : )
Reply
These look awesome!!!! I love the way you steamed the peppers in the bag after you roasted them. I’ll have to try that next time.
Reply
KPat — July 10th, 2012 @ 12:24 am
The steaming in the bag was to loosen the skins to make the peppers easier to peel, no? Recipe sounds amazeballs. I share your love of Mexican. And smoked paprika. And peanut butter. :)
Reply
Sounds awesome Jess! I didn’t realize Mr How Sweet wasn’t into Mexican food prior to this. I thought he’d have been anything as long as it was ‘con pollo’ – and I’m sure he could have these that way too. PS I’m with you on the mayo… absolutely no mayo on my tacos please! ;)
Reply
Jessica — July 9th, 2012 @ 8:58 am
I don’t know what it was… besides that he was just crazy.
Reply
Mmmm…LOVE grilled veggies in my tacos! These look amazing!!
Reply
I’d be happy with these for dinner any day!
Reply
This looks incredible! I love roasted corn- makes tacos extra special I think.
Reply
I want to faceplant into that taco- YUM!
Reply
Mayo on a taco??? Those people are crazy town, for serious. Mayo is for turkey sandwiches!!
I’d love one of these tacos…my husband would also use them as a side dish *hogs* *cough cough*
Reply
these sound so ridiculous. i LOVE corn tortillas and warm buttery veggies w/ creamy avocado & crema inside… oh yea. oh YEA. i bet that crema would be good slathered on anything too ps, love that there’s smoky chipotles in it!!! 100% face-plantable. the end.
Reply
ooohhh the double tortilla for authenticity – nice. Chica Loca wasn’t open before I left but I’m happy to see more places opening. I’ll have to let my sister know.
Reply
Rodzilla — July 9th, 2012 @ 9:00 am
take that back, apparently they were open..I just didn’t know about them.
Reply
Jessica — July 9th, 2012 @ 9:07 am
I don’t remember when you said they left… but I think they’ve been there since June 2011?
Those tacos look absolutely out of this world. True perfection!
Reply
Oh yes, this is a hit!
Need to grill me some corn.
BTW where did you purchase that bowl holding the crema? Love it.
Reply
Jessica — July 9th, 2012 @ 9:07 am
Anthropologie! Not too long ago and on sale… so they still may have it.
Reply
I just licked the picture of those tacos on my screen…I wish I could say I’m kidding. I need help or maybe I just need to make these, like NOW!
Reply
I have been searching for a recipe to justify buying poblanos with no experience using them whatsoever. Found it! These look fantastic, Jess!
Reply
Sign me up for this meal!
Reply
Holy yummers!!! Vegetarian tacos….love it girl!!!
Reply
We moved to England about 6 months ago. I cried long, hard tears when I said my good-byes to family and friends. I knew I would miss them! What I didn’t know was that it was going to be lunch and dinner out with them at Mexican restaurants (or Tex-Mex – the new Mexican!) that I would miss the most. I came prepared with suitcases of black beans, jalenpenos, chilies, and seasonings and yet eating on tortillas that expire in 2 years (because that is what they have here) is not the same. Shortly after our arrival I hunted down a Mexican restaurant (one hour away) and went to have lunch by myself (because I am friendless). When the waitress brought out my meal she asked me if I wanted any KETCHUP or MAYO to go with it! What?! I’m with you, mayo does not have a place in Mexican food. And for the “they lived happily ever after ending” know that we have found Chipotle in London – completely inconvenient, but worth the $27 train ride!!!!
Reply
My boyfriend and your husband would get along great because he wouldn’t eat these without any form of meat on them either. I look on the bright side as more for me! :)
Reply
Hands down best taco I ever had was at a little place in Wisconsin and it was a fried avacado taco with cabbage and chipotle mayo :)
Reply
You swore on your teddy bear?! ….. That is………….. ……… AWESOME!!! :) I knew I liked you too!
Reply
Haha – your husband is my boyfriend. If I tried to serve him tacos without some form of meat in them he’d look at me like I was a crazy person. He would, however, also gladly eat them as a side dish.
Reply
Ole! These look very tasty and perfect for my Texan palate. I’m glad you vetoed the mayo- blech!
Reply
I worked at Taco Bell for a shamefully long time and you would be appalled by the number of people who requested the “mayo” be left off of their tacos. I’ve also heard cream cheese and horsey sauce. because obviously TBell would put arby’s condiments on their tacos.
Reply
Jessica — July 9th, 2012 @ 8:14 pm
Ha!
Reply
NICE. That crema looks fabulous. We love grilled summer tacos.
Reply
Jessica — July 9th, 2012 @ 8:14 pm
Trade you for those brownies… OMG.
Reply
Those look amazing!!!! Think tacos might be a good lunchtime plan for me……thanks for making my mouth water.
Reply
Another genius meal from Miss Jessica. ;) I’ve been loving any type of Mexican food this summer. And these tacos sound perfect!
Reply
Jessica — July 9th, 2012 @ 8:14 pm
You are too sweet. Thank you. :)
Reply
i’m having a crap morning. thank you for making me smile. you are my internet bff. not in an ‘i’m hiding the bushes outside your house’ kind of way. in an ‘i read your blog everyday and am required to make all things you tell me to’ kind of way.
Reply
Jessica — July 9th, 2012 @ 8:14 pm
THANK YOU for reading. :)
Reply
I’m making Monday Mexican night from now on. Starting with these. The only way I can get through a Monday at work is knowing this will be enjoyed afterwards! Followed by one of your chewy chocolate cookies w/ pb drizzle… :)
Reply
This could not be more perfect for this time of year. And chipotle crema? I am IN!
Reply
Grilled corn is one of my favorite things to eat at the State Fair…so good!!
Reply
That is some fabulous looking grilled corn! Mmmmmmm!
Reply
Quick question: will the peppers roast better if you core and seed them before or after the roasting? The recipe says to do it both ways. Thanks! (and sorry for being so type A)
Reply
Jessica — July 9th, 2012 @ 8:13 pm
Oops sorry about that! I honestly do it both ways. Sometimes I roast them whole, sometimes sliced. Truly both roast great for me!
Reply
The Chipotle Crema sounds and looks so good and glad you guys are both on the Tex-Mex wavelength now!
Reply
actually, mayo in tacos is not that bad (i’m mexican), it is normally served with fish tacos though, not with, you know, meat ones.
At home I usually mix mayo, chipotle and a little bit of mustard with some pepper and its really good
Reply
Jessica — July 9th, 2012 @ 8:12 pm
Great to know!
Reply
I found a taco sauce somewhere once that had mayo, sour cream, and taco seasoning in it – pretty good, actually, although I really prefer the sour cream myself. But that little mix got my sour cream-hating husband to eat sour cream. In fact he asks for it with tacos now!
These tacos look amazing. Now if I could only get the husband to agree to them. He, too, would hate the lack of meat but would deal with it. He will not, however, touch a mushroom under any circumstances.
Oh, well…more of these for me!
Reply
Tacos!! Grilled corn and peppers are definitely at the top of my summer taco list. I would totally shy away from the mayo too–but then, I’m one of those weirdos who puts strained yogurt on my tacos in place of sour cream. :) (It’s really good!)
Reply
Jessica — July 9th, 2012 @ 8:12 pm
I do that too sometimes. It’s cool.
Reply
Mayo on a taco would be a massive fail. This crema though? I need to try it.
Reply
This is my idea of heaven! YUM!
Reply
Keep the grilled corn recipes comin!!!
Reply
Jessica — July 9th, 2012 @ 8:11 pm
Can’t stop won’t stop.
Reply
beautiful photographs, this recipe looks great too!
Reply
Jessica — July 9th, 2012 @ 8:11 pm
Thank you!
Reply
There is nothing left of me but a memory.
Reply
Now that’s my kind of dinner! LOVE it!!!
Reply
If I couldn’t love this blog anymore, now I know it’s based out of Pittsburgh…
And I’ll definitely have to try that taco place.
Reply
Jessica — July 9th, 2012 @ 8:11 pm
You must! So delish.
Reply
When I head to Pittsburgh at Christmas time I will have to try that taco place.
Reply
Well you know me, I don’t need much convincing to eat my vegetables and goodness that Chipotle Crema!! I want to drizzle that on everything.
Reply
What restaurant on earth is serving mayonnaise on a taco?! That is wrong on many levels! Please forbid Mr. Sweet from eating such atrocities ever again. Seriously. Mayo?! On a taco?! Eww. Just eww.
Reply
Veggie tacos are welcome by me any night of the week! I’d face plant all over them too. My boyfriend would definitely need the meaty version or else he’d see them as an appetizer too but I know he’d love them with or without meat. Excellent chipotle sauce….yum!
Reply