Chipotle Tofu Potato Tacos

The secrets to today's meal are Time and Pineapples.

The dish does take a time commitment - about an hour - but the leftovers truly shine.  They absorb more of their wonderful marinade... if simple pureed chipotle counts as a marinade.  Meanwhile, sweet pineapples light fireworks alongside the chipotles' heat, the final note to a symphony of tastes which I'll sketch out below.  Peppery fresh arugula earns its British moniker of "rocket" as it sends each bite to the moon.  If you need a cool breeze to complement all this warmth, add some sour cream or cheese.

Enough with the metaphors.  It's no secret that I'm a chipotle-holic.  But it is truly chipotle o'clock in my circadian rhythms.  I'm finding ways to eat it at nearly every meal!  When I found these delectable-looking burritos at spabettie, I knew they would be mine before the week was out.  I downsized to tacos so they'd fit on my homemade, smaller tortillas, and I sprinkled the roasting veggies with chipotle powder for yet more chipotle flavor.

One more word: splurge for the real chipotles in adobo here, if you can find them, instead of my favorite stand-in (chipotle Tabasco).  The chilis are thicker and provide some textural fun.

Make a lot of this.  You'll love the leftovers even more than the fresh servings.

chipotle tofu potato tacos

(can also be served over rice or quinoa)
adapted from spabettie

serves 3-4; makes 8 tacos
prep time: 15 minutes
cook time: 45 minutes

ingredients:

3-4 chipotles in adobo
1 block extra firm tofu, cubed
3 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 large or 2 small bell peppers, chopped into large pieces
1 small onion, chopped into large pieces
1 tsp chipotle powder
olive oil for roasting vegetables
8 small corn tortillas
2 handfuls of arugula/rocket
1/2 cup pineapple in small cubes
chipotle mayo, recipe follows
sour cream (optional)
grated cheese (optional)

directions:

Puree the chipotles in a food processor.  Mix well with the cubed tofu and set aside to marinate.

On a greased/oiled baking sheet, spread the potatoes, peppers and onions.  Drizzle with olive oil, then sprinkle with salt & chipotle powder.

Roast at 350 F (175 C) for 10 minutes.  Turn the pieces over and roast another 10 minutes.  Remove the onion and pepper from the oven.  Add the tofu to the baking sheet; return tofu and potatoes to the oven for another 15 minutes or until well-browned and crispy.

If you are making tortillas from scratch, the time to do it is while the oven roasting is happening.  This is also a good time to prepare the chipotle mayo.

Before serving, reheat the tortillas, peppers & onions if necessary.

Chipotle Mayo

ingredients:

1 tbsp mayonnaise
1 tsp adobo sauce from a can of chipotles (adjust to taste)

directions:

Scoop the mayonnaise into a bowl.  Add the adobo sauce and mix well.

Finally:

Build the tacos in layers: chipotle mayo, arugula, pineapple, veggies, tofu and potatoes.  Optionally, top with sour cream or grated cheese.  Fold and eat.