Rachael's Chorizo and Butternut Tacos
Roasted butternut squash + spicy Mexican chorizo stuffed into a hard taco shell = perfect for chilly fall and winter weather
Rach likes to serve these tacos with her Spicy Vegetarian Refried Beans and Green Rice.
- 2 limes
- 1/2 red onion, finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, grated or finely chopped
- 1 large or 2 small jalapeño peppers, seeded and finely chopped
- Salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper sauce, Rach's go-to is Frank's RedHot
- 3 plum or vine tomatoes, seeded and chopped
- 2 avocados, pit removed and scooped from skin
- A small handful of cilantro or parsley, chopped
- 2 scallions, chopped
- 1 small butternut squash, halved, peeled, seeded, and cut into bite-sized pieces
- Olive oil spray
- Salt and pepper
- 1/8 teaspoon grated nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 pound Mexican chorizo
- 1 tablespoon olive oil or vegetable oil
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, chopped
- 1 small mild red or green pepper or poblano pepper, seeded and chopped
- 2 jalapeño or Fresno (milder) chili peppers or a combo, seeded and finely chopped
- 12 blue corn stand-up hard taco shells
- 1 1/2 cups shredded Pepper Jack cheese
- 1 1/2 cups shredded smoked cheddar cheese
- Thinly shredded red cabbage
- Wedges of lime
- Pickled sliced jalapeno pepper rings
- Toasted and salted pepitas
For the Pico-Guac, to a bowl, add the juice of 2 limes, the onion, garlic, and jalapeno peppers and let stand 5-10 minutes. Add cumin, cayenne sauce, tomatoes, avocados, cilantro or parsley and mash up, then adjust salt. Transfer to serving bowl and top with scallions.
For squash, preheat oven to 450˚F and arrange the squash on a baking sheet and spray with oil. Season with salt, pepper, nutmeg, cinnamon and chili powder. Roast to tender and brown at edges, 25 minutes. Reduce heat to 325˚F.
In a skillet over medium-high heat, brown and crumble the chorizo in olive or vegetable oil, then add onions, garlic and peppers and cook until onions are translucent. Add half a cup of water and let it absorb.
Line the shells with cheeses and roast to toast, 5 minutes.
Combine squash with chorizo and transfer to serving dish.
Tacos: cheese-lined tacos filled with chorizo and squash, top with cabbage, lime, Pico-Guac, pickled jalapeno rings and pepitas.
Serve with Spicy Vegetarian Refried Beans and Green Rice.