Acorn Squash and Mushroom Tacos with Microgreens

Thank you Chicano Soul Food for the inspiration for this recipe. Can’t wait for you to start up again to enjoy your amazing tacos! In the meantime, everyone, make your own tacos and check out this article in which Sergio talks about Chicano Soul Food’s roots.

This flexible recipe is inspired by a recurring craving for the amazing pipian acorn squash tacos served at the Carbon Sink Convergence by Chicano Soul Food. Their pipian salsa (made with tomatillo and pepitas) was earth-shaking for me, as I had never had the opportunity to taste it before. It is southern Mexican deliciousness and my family is full of norteños (much love to all my relatives in Sinaloa and Sonora). This not being tomatillo season, though, I’ll leave the pipian recipe for another day. The simple act of pairing acorn squash with mushrooms in a taco is treat enough (yes, this was also earth-shaking for me!). I don’t see the winter squash pile up in my kitchen anymore wondering what to do with it. Instead, I savor the day I can make some tacos with it! Maybe this week, you too, have a stash of winter squash you haven’t gotten to yet. And maybe you, too, will delight in trying these tacos topped with a fresh bunch of this week’s spicy microgreens mix. Here goes—

INGREDIENTS

1 acorn squash (kabocha would also work here!)

1 box of fresh mushrooms (or more!), try cremini, white button, portabella or shitake

tortillas de maíz (corn tortillas, try La Fe’s corn tortillas—they’re the only affordable non-gmo option that I could find and they hold up well to the fire!)

microgreens (This week’s spicy microgreens mix goes great in a taco!)

your salsa of choice (My current favorite is just crushed chiltepin soaked in lemon and sprinkled generously with salt and pepper. Next on my list, if I’m in a pinch, would be the salsa de molcajete or the green salsa from Murphy’s Market. They get it right!)

INSTRUCTIONS

You can do this two ways—Cut the acorn squash in half, scoop out the seeds, rub with olive oil, salt and pepper and bake until soft. Then you can scoop out the squash to put it in your tacos. This method is less ‘work’ but more time in the oven, and an easy way to leave the skin off for those who prefer not to eat it.

The other way, takes a little more effort, but less time in the oven, gives the squash a chance to crisp and is best if you’re willing to eat the acorn squash skin, which, is full of good-for-you fiber! (Check out this take on which varieties of winter squash skin to eat.) Just slice up the squash into thin slices (maybe 1/2 inch) after scooping out the seeds. Then lay out on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper.

Bake at 400 degrees until soft (go longer if you want the crisp!)

Slice up the mushroom (i usually get four slices per mushroom) and put in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper. Place in the oven at 400 degrees alongside the squash and bake for about 10 minutes until slightly crisped.

Warm up your corn tortillas and serve up your tacos with the squash, mushrooms, microgreens and salsa of choice (or just a squeeze of lemon)!

Sesame Roasted Kabocha Squash Over Bed of Greens

This Kabocha roast is inspired by this Korean Braised Kabocha Squash recipe. Although the original looks delicious and I’d like to shop for and try it some fancy day, this one is simplified (no time for shopping, roasting AND braising today!) to work within my busy home-schooling, home-working day. Ok, here goes!

INGREDIENTS

1 kabocha squash

3 tbs sesame oil

3 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 inch ginger, finely chopped

3 green onions, chopped

2 tbs brown sugar

4 tbs soy sauce

4 tbs rice wine vinegar

1 tbs dried chile (korean chili flakes, or, in our case, crushed chiltepin!)

sesame seeds (optional)

microgreens (optional)

1 bunch collards, thinly sliced

1/2 tsp cumin

salt and pepper to taste

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat oven to 400.

Cut the kabocha squash in half, scoop out the seeds and then slice into 1-inch slices. This is the hardest part because it takes some strength to cut up this squash raw. The alternative is roasting, then slicing but I think the bit of sweat is worth the time (and dishes) saved when you skip the roast then chop then braise steps!

On a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, spread the slices of kabocha into on layer (it’s ok if they slightly overlap) and drizzle with roasted sesame oil.

In a small bowl, mix garlic, ginger, green onions, sugar, soy sauce, rice vinegar and chile. Then drizzle over the kombucha.

Put in oven to roast until it looks a little crisped and is soft in the middle (test with a fork). In our oven, this takes 30 to 40 minutes, but check it after 20 minutes just in case!

While it roasts, you put a little more sesame oil in a pan (cast iron works great!) and add the cumin. Stir for 30 seconds or so in the hot oil.

Add the sliced collards. Sprinkle salt and pepper and put a lid on the pan so they steam for a few minutes. I like to eat them once they get bright green (after about 5 minutes) but if you are bitter-averse, letting them cook longer makes them softer and gets the bitter out. Bitter balances the sweet of the kobucha, though, so consider going light on the cooking time for your greens.

Serve the kobucha on a plate over the collards and top with sesame seeds and microgreens if you’ve got them around. Eat with your favorite protein (lentils, tofu, tempeh, nuts or meat) on the side.

Roasted and Stuffed Kabocha Squash

Ingredients:

1 Kabocha squash

1 bunch of chard or kale leaves

1 small onion (finely chopped)

8 mushrooms

4 cloves garlic

1 cup nuts and/or seeds (try walnuts and sunflower seeds)

rosemary, salt and pepper to taste

olive oil

microgreens

Instructions:

Cut the Kabocha squash in half and scrape out the seeds (This is the hardest part!)

Stuff the kabocha with the chard or kale and onion first and fill 1/2 way. Then add a mix of mushrooms, garlic, nuts, rosemary, salt and pepper and on top of the chard and onion.

Drizzle with olive oil and bake at 400 until squash is soft (40 minutes to 1 hour)

Garnish with a handful of microgreens

A note on kids and mushrooms—My 1-year-old loves mushrooms of all kinds, in all forms, and in large quantities (weird, right?); my 4-year-old does not. Mushrooms are such good medicine that I refuse to give up on them for him. Sometimes, I cut them in fourths and let him pick them out because I know the mushroom broth that’s cooked into the food is still giving him some of their goodness. Other times, my strategy is to chop them into unrecognizable deliciousness and forget to mention there’s mushrooms in the food. For my picky little boy, this has been working lately. Everyday is different, though!

Kabocha Squash