Roasted Veggie Tacos with Hibiscus Tortillas

 It’s going to be a very colorful Cinco de Mayo this year.

I went to a fun restaurant in Denver with my daughter that had a vegetarian taco made with hibiscus corn tortillas.  It has taken me a while, but I finally achieved the bright hibiscus color that I was wanting.

Pour 1 1/2 cups boiling water over 1 cup dried hibiscus blossoms.

Allow to steep for about 30 minutes.  You will want the water to become very concentrated with the hibiscus color.  If the color is weak, then the result will be a gray/lavender tortilla that doesn’t look very appetizing.

In a small mixing bowl and 1 cup masa flour and 1/4 teaspoon salt.

Pour 2/3 cups of the hibiscus liquid into the masa.

Mix well.  If the mixture seems dry, add more liquid 1 tablespoon at a time until you have a nice soft dough that holds together and doesn’t crumble.

Color perfection!

To make my tortillas uniform in shape, I like to use an ice cream scoop.

A tortilla press comes in handy and makes tortilla making a snap.

I use a ziplock bag so the tortilla dough doesn’t stick.  Simply cut the sides of a gallon size ziplock bag so the bag opens completely.

Place the dough on the plastic.  Cover with other side of plastic bag.

Close down the tortilla press.

Presto!  With one press you have an almost perfectly round tortilla.  I’m sure you will be more talented than I am about making your tortillas perfect.  I just not that much of a perfectionist.

Place tortilla on a hot griddle and cook for about 1 minute per side or until just beginning to brown in spots.

Remove from griddle.  I like to stack the tortillas in a clean dish cloth to keep them warm.  Tortillas can be made in advance.  Allow to cool then refrigerate in a resealable bag or cover with plastic wrap.

Repeat the process until all of the dough has been used.  You should have about 8 perfectly bright tortillas.

Dang.  I’m missing a photo of all my ingredients.  (I wonder what where I put that?  I’ll find it somewhere, someday in an obscure folder).  Anyway….

For the vegetable filling you will need the following:
1-2 tablespoon coconut oil (depending on how many veggies you are roasting)
2 cups diced zucchini
2 cups diced sweet potatoes or yams (I love Garnet Yams the best)
2 cups fresh corn cut from the cob (frozen may be substituted)
2-3 poblano peppers
2 teaspoons cumin
2 teaspoons chipotle chile powder or favorite chile powder
1 teaspoon salt
fresh ground pepper
1/2 lime
Avocado slices
fresh cilantro
Queso fresco
reserved soaked hibiscus blossoms

Let me not here that other veggies may be used.  I love adding cauliflower and broccoli as well.

Make sure the veggies are pretty uniform in size.  I like a small dice.  If you are going to use cauliflower or broccoli make sure they are cut very small as well.

I ordered a veggie taco at a local taqueria and the veggies were cut so big that they broke through the tortilla and I ended up with a crumbled taco in my hand.  No bueno!

Place all of the prepped veggies on a baking sheet.  Toss with 1 – 2 tablespoons coconut oil.  Sprinkle with 2 teaspoons chipotle chile powder.

Sprinkle with 2 teaspoons cumin, 1 teaspoons salt and fresh ground pepper.

Stir to evenly coat the veggies.

Place veggies in a preheated 400 degree oven and bake for about 30 minutes or until the veggies re beginning to brown and crisp up a bit.

Meanwhile, fire roast the poblano peppers.  You can roast them on a grill or I like to place them over the flame on my cook top.

Char the outsides of the pepper.  Once charred, place the peppers in a resealable bag and close.  Set aside for 5-10 minutes to allow the peppers to steam.  This makes remove the charred skin a snap.

Remove peppers from bag.  Using a paper towel, remove charred skin.

Remove the seeds from the inside.

Dice the peppers.

Once the veggies are browned, but not overcooked, remove from oven.

Toss with the juice from 1/2 a lime.

Stir in Poblano peppers.

Fill your beautiful tortillas with the roasted vegetables, avocado slices, fresh cilantro, queso fresco and reserved hibiscus blossoms.