Mushrooms with Roasted Corn and Marjoram

Name: Mushrooms with Roasted Corn and Marjoram
Yield: makes 6 tacos
Ingredients: 2 medium poblano chiles, oil-roasted, peeled, cored, and seeded (page 154); 3 tablespoons (or more) butter; 6 ounces portobello mushrooms (preferably small, with fresh, closed gills), cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices with stems; 1 1/2 ounces shiitake mushrooms, stemmed, cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices; 2 cloves garlic, minced; 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt; 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper; 1 cup fresh corn kernels, dry-roasted (page 157); 1 tablespoon olive oil (preferably Spanish); 1 teaspoon chipotle puree (page 153); 1 teaspoon fresh lime juice; 2 teaspoons loosely packed chopped fresh cilantro leaves; 1 teaspoon chopped fresh marjoram; 8 (5 1/2-inch) soft white corn tortillas (page 13), for serving; Garnish: Julienned fresh basil or toasted pine nuts (page 164)

January 26, 2012

The combination of sweet, lightly smoked corn and rich, earthy mushrooms is one of the great flavor marriages of Mexican food. In this filling, inspired by one of my favorite salsa recipes in The Great Salsa Book, the fresh corn kernels are dry-roasted to capture the sweet corn flavor and infuse them with an appetizing, smoky perfume. Dry roasting is one of the great culinary techniques that give Mexican cuisine its distinctiveness and meaning, and one easily mastered at home. Very simply and effectively, it intensifies and concentrates flavors and imparts the smoky, primordial quality that is characteristic of so many Mexican dishes. Beyond corn, the technique is also used for garlic, tomatoes, and onions, for fresh and dried chiles, and for seeds and nuts.

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