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The Americas and Caribbean
Quick-roast cauliflower tacos with pink pickled onions
Achiote paste comes from the ground berries of the achiote tree, found throughout Mexico, but particularly used in the Yucatán. It has a distinctive brick-red colour and tangy, fruity flavour, which produces a sensationally quick and delicious rub for cauliflower, staining it ochre as it roasts. Serve with the pink onions and black beans, also widely cooked in the Yucatán, and you could almost be in Mérida. Thomasina Miers
SERVES 4 EASY V
70g achiote paste
3 large garlic cloves
1 tsp light brown soft sugar
6 tbsp natural or plant-based yogurt
1 tbsp lime juice
5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, plus
extra for drizzling
1 tsp Mexican oregano or 2 tbsp
thyme leaves
1 large or 2 small cauliflowers
corn or flour tortillas, to serve
pink pickled onions (see recipe,
opposite), to serve
cooked black beans and crema,
soured cream or vegan crema
(optional), to serve
1 Heat the oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Smash the achiote, garlic, sugar and 1/2 tsp salt together using a pestle and mortar until you have a paste. Stir in the yogurt, lime juice, olive oil, herbs and plenty of black pepper.
2 Cut the florets from the stem of the cauliflower, discarding the outer leaves and the end of the stem, but keeping the inner leaves and inner core. Cut the larger florets into halves or quarters, and the inner core into chunks – you want bite-sized pieces, but they will shrink with roasting.
3 Tip the cauliflower pieces into a large roasting tin or two smaller ones – you want the pieces to be in a single layer – and smear everything with the paste. Season with sea salt, drizzle over some olive oil and roast for 30-35 mins until nicely browned and caramelised all over. Serve in tortillas with the pickled onions, black beans and crema, if using.
Pink pickled onions
These citrussy onions make food come alive. The recipe is from the Yucatán, where the Spanish conquistadors planted Seville orange trees. The fruit’s bitter juices became part of the state’s cuisine. A mixture of lime and orange started replacing it when Seville oranges became harder to find.
MAKES 1 x small bowl EASY V
1 red onion, finely sliced
2 tbsp lime juice
2 ½ tbsp orange juice
½ tsp Mexican oregano (optional)
1 scotch bonnet or habanero chilli,
finely chopped (optional)
1 If short on time, tip the onion into a heatproof bowl and cover with boiling water. Soak for 30 seconds, then drain. This will speed up the pickling process. Or, tip the onion into a non-reactive bowl, cover with the citrus juices and scrunch wit
