Recipe: Portobello Fajitas with Roasted Poblano Cream Sauce

Originally I was going to make a seitan variation for fajitas, thinking fajitas just weren’t that good without a really “meaty” protein. Boy, was I wrong! The grilled, marinated portobellos are just right, and the creamy sauce makes any cheese or sour cream superfluous. If you don’t have a grill pan, use your broiler, an electric grill pan, or even a skillet, but don’t miss this sandwich!

 

Portobello Fajitas 

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup cilantro leaves
• 4 scallions, coarsely chopped
• 3 garlic cloves
• 4 tablespoons grapeseed or sunflower oil, divided
• 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 2 tablespoons water
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 4 large portobello mushroom caps, rinsed, patted dry, and cut into 1/2-inch slices
• 2 red or green bell peppers, seeded, and cut into 1/2-inch slices
• 1 medium onion, cut into 1/4-inch slices
• Sea salt and fresh ground black pepper
• 6 (7-inch) flour tortillas or 8 (5-inch) corn tortillas
• Roasted Poblano Cream Sauce (recipe follows)
• 1 ripe Hass avocado, pitted, peeled, and cut into 1/8-inch slices

 

Preparation

1. In a blender, combine the cilantro leaves, scallions, garlic, 2 tablespoons oil, lime juice, water, and cumin and blend well. Transfer the marinade to a medium bowl and add the mushrooms, rubbing the marinade into the mushrooms. Set aside for 10 minutes.
2. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the peppers and onion. Cook, stirring, until crisp-tender, 5 to 8 minutes. Season with salt and black pepper.
3. Heat a grill pan, electric grill, or another skillet over medium-high heat. Grill the mushroom slices in batches until cooked through and grill marks appear, about 3 minutes per side. Season to taste with salt.
4. Heat the tortillas between 2 damp paper towels in the microwave for 1 minute or heat each tortilla in a large skillet over medium heat. Keep warm.
5. To assemble, fill the warm tortillas with mushrooms, peppers and onions, poblano sauce, and avocado slices.

Serves: 4 to 6

 

Roasted Poblano Cream Sauce

Ingredients

• 1 poblano chile
• 1/3 cup raw cashews
• 6 tablespoons plain unsweetened almond milk
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 2 tablespoons cilantro leaves
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• Sea salt and fresh ground black pepper

 

Preparation

1. Roast the poblano in a dry skillet, turning every few minutes. When well blistered and mostly charred, transfer the poblano to a bowl and cover the bowl with plastic wrap to steam for ten minutes. Peel the chile by rubbing the skin off. Remove the stem and seeds and coarsely chop. Set aside.
2. Grind the cashews in a blender until finely ground. Add the almond milk, lime juice, cilantro, oil, cumin, onion powder, garlic powder, and the reserved poblano. Blend the sauce as smoothly as possible, in intervals, if necessary, to avoid overheating the blender. Season with salt and black pepper to taste.

Makes about 1 cup

From Everyday Vegan Eats by Zsu Dever. ©2014 Zsu Dever. Used by permission from Vegan Heritage Press.