My week started with mint ice cream topped with olive oil and sea salt from a small food truck near work. We met up there to celebrate our colleague Linda, who is moving to France. This food truck, though small and offering only 2 flavors (plus gourmet toppings) was mighty and delicious. We huddled under a tree to keep out of the light rain. I’ve been meaning to make a recipe with the blue masa I got free from work. So, after a great haul at the farmers market on Thursday, I decided to make blue corn tostadas with green tomatoes, scallion mayo, blue potato chips and cilantro from my garden.
Blue Corn Tostadas
Linda’s last day was Wednesday. I’ve only known her a month since joining the team at the cooking store, but she has been one of my favorite people to get to know. She’s moving to France, as mentioned, and has told me all about the town, her apartment, and the brutal moving process during down moments on our shifts. She is a very lovely woman and has inspired me to be more hopeful and positive. Her motto has been “I’ll figure it out” throughout the unpredictable process. She also taught me about stand mixers and shares my love of art.
I brought some of my millionaires shortbread bars to work, too, which were a big hit with my boss, who “couldn’t stop thinking about them.” I felt proud. So Thursday I had my sights set on more ambitious, delicious recipes inspired by the bounty of fresh produce at the farmers market. Same old story – I got in the car early and drove down. I got bagels, a chocolate pastry (think a pan au chocolat with mousse instead of melted chocolate), and vegetables. Specifically, I bought scallions, red onions, green tomatoes, and blue potatoes. I also bought a pint of strawberries and more rhubarb. Blue potatoes are nostalgic to me. I was fascinated by them as a kid when I first discovered them. They scream Maine to me too.
Homemade Tortillas
So I was really excited to pair them with my blue corn tostadas. I was originally going to make a simple taco with mushrooms or braised beef. Maybe a fresh, tangy salsa. But I’ve been watching a lot of Masterchef and feeling inspired to cook more out of my comfort zone. I envisioned something beautiful, colorful, and bold. Vegetarian. With a complex flavor profile. So I aspired to grill and caramelize the green tomatoes and make some sort of blue potato puree, chip, or garnish. I also wanted to utilize herbs from my garden. They’re not quite ready yet, but I plucked a sprig of cilantro early to use on top. Scallions are one of my very favorite things, too, so I knew I wanted to use them in a variety of ways.
When I started, it was a beautiful warm afternoon in Maine. I threw together the blue masa in a bowl and read the instructions on the bag. I don’t make homemade tacos a lot. In fact, I haven’t made them in years. I have a tortilla press, but it sits in the back of a cabinet most of the time. But I love tacos and see them as a perfect vessel for flavor. I love blue corn tortilla chips, too, and adore the earthiness that the blue corn brings. The dough started to come together after adding a couple tablespoons of melted butter. Then, I poured in hot water and kneaded the purple ball. I didn’t use all of the water. I trusted my instincts.
Farmers Market Vegetables
When the dough rested I gathered my other vegetables and made some decisions. I would grill the scallions quickly in a pan to bring out their sweetness. Then, I wanted to blend them into vegetable oil until bright green. I’d use the oil to make scallion mayonnaise. I made it once at the cafe, for BLTs. It was delicious. Subtle scallion but savory and slightly sweet. Pale green too. I did just that – grilling the scallions and blending for a few minutes until deep green. I blended it slowly into my eggs and lemon juice with an immersion blender. It tasted beautiful, and was a little mousse-like from the blender. It went in the fridge to cool.
Next for my blue corn tostadas I pickled my red onions. Simply boiling water, vinegar, sugar, and salt. I poured it all in a mason jar filled with chopped red onions and watched it slowly infuse with a magenta color over the afternoon. Once it was cool, I put it in the fridge. My blue corn tortilla dough was well-rested, so I cut out some parchment paper and rolled the dough into 9 equal balls. I pressed them one at a time with my bright orange tortilla press and cooked them in my cast iron skillet over low heat. They stacked on a kitchen towel as I got lost in a meditative groove. The tortillas smelled savory and delicious.
Fried Blue Potato Chips
Once they were all cooked I flipped the corners of the cloth on top and put them aside to cool. I snacked on one, too, and ate a lunch of leftovers. Quickly diving back into my project. Long story short – I also decided to make a strawberry rhubarb pie at the same time. It came out great. The filling was amazing. The dough was nice and tender, buttery, and golden. ’m still thinking about it. Anyway – my blue corn tostadas came together later in the afternoon.
I had to skip my daily walk to get them done. I decided to thinly slice my blue potatoes after peeling them and exposing their beautiful blue jewel-like flesh. They soaked in cold water before I patted them off and fried them. At first I was disappointed that the oil caramelized the blue and created orange/brown rings around the edges. But the blue still shined through the centers. I also fried my blue corn tortillas, watching them puff and gain a pleasant hump in the middle from the shock of the hot oil. All I had left to do was grill my green tomatoes.
I tasted one, raw, and it was very bitter. A little sweet, and a little too firm. But grilling them relaxed the texture so well and brought out a beautiful, caramelized sweetness. Complex savory/sweet notes and meatiness. I spent about 10 minutes plating. Starting with my blue corn tostadas. I piped dots of scallion mayo artfully over the top. Placed tomatoes on the clock face. I garnished with chips and pickled onions and thin slices of avocado.
A Fine Dining Tostada
The one thing I forgot was cheese. A cotija or feta would have been nice, but the scallion mayo brought a lot of savory umami flavor. And of course, I garnished my blue corn tostadas with a sprig of cilantro. And fresh chopped scallions. I love the taste of raw diced scallions. Pops of garlicky, bitter joy. I took a ton of photos of my blue corn tostadas. Which were like little blue, green, and pink paintings. They turned out just as beautiful as I hoped. Like a Michelin star appetizer at a Mexican restaurant. All that was left to do was eat. The experience was like a symphony. Crunchy, savory tortillas. Creamy herbaceous mayonnaise. Pops of acidic pickled pink onions. Crisp blue potato chips and meaty, caramelized green tomatoes.
I’m so happy with how these turned out. When I got home from work Friday, exhausted, I was ravenous and craving Mexican food. I had leftover tortillas and fresh cheddar cheese. Enchilada sauce in the fridge. Hot sauce, salsa, sour cream, avocado. So, I spent about 20 minutes shredding cheddar, cooking leftover turkey sausage with cumin and garlic and cayenne and onion powder. Rolling my blue corn shells into enchiladas filled with spiced meat, cheese, scallion mayo, and green tomatoes. I poured enchilada sauce on top and smothered them with shredded cheddar. And I baked them in a fiery oven to caramelize. They had a heavenly aroma when they came out. I devoured them.
Leftover Enchiladas
I brought the other half to work on Saturday. Even though I felt off all day I was really looking forward to eating. It was almost as good as before, and has haunted my dreams since. The cheese, caramelized tortillas and sauce, grilled tomatoes. Seriously one of the best things I’ve made in a while. I really want to make them again, or make the blue corn tostadas with braised short ribs, cheese, and a pico de Gallo.
Overall it was sort of a down week with moments of joy and pure deliciousness. I’m feeling proud of myself for growing and learning at my job. Becoming a more patient person. Like Linda. And I’m looking forward to trying more flavors of soft serve at the ice cream truck when my work days are especially hot. Sitting in the park next to the water. Helping more people find the right pans and tools and cooking gadgets. Painting and creating things and taking care of my family. For now life is slow, and steady, and that’s good enough for me.
Thank you for reading, as always! Be sure to check out my Etsy shop for 100’s or recipe cards and art prints made in my home in Maine. Use code THEFORKEDRING for 25% off. Have a great week!
Blue Corn Tostadas
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups blue masa harina
- 3 tbsp unsalted butter melted
- 2-3 green tomatoes
- 2 whole eggs + 1 yolk
- 1 tbsp Lemon juice
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 bunch scallions
- 3 cups vegetable oil
- 1 lb blue potatoes
- Pickled Onions for garnish
- Cilantro for garnish
- Avocado for garnish
Instructions
- Combine masa harina and melted butter in a large bowl. Work into a crumb.
- Heat 1 cup water in a microwave of sauce pot until scalding. Add water to masa mixture, about 1/4 cup at a time, until the dough is cohesive and slightly stiff.
- Cover bowl and let dough rest for 20-30 minutes in the fridge.
- Combine eggs, egg yolk, lemon juice, and salt in an immersion blender cup.
- In a separate blender of food processor, blend most of the scallions (just the green parts) with 2 cups of vegetable oil for 2-3 minutes until bright green.
- Pour your scallion oil on top of the eggs and lemon juice in the immersion blender cup. Place your immersion blender through the oil on top of the eggs and start to blend.
- Slowly lift the immersion blender to incorporate oil a little bit at a time. This will help the mayonnaise emulsify. Once totally blended, it should be thick and spreadable.
- Peel and slice blue potatoes into 1mm chips on a mandolin or with a knife. Place in a bowl of water to soak for 10-20 minutes.
- Once soaked, remove from water and pat dry on kitchen towels. Let air dry further while you make your tortillas.
- Remove your masa dough from the fridge and roll into 9 equal balls. Press each between two pieces of parchment paper in a tortilla press and place on a warm griddle.
- Cook tortillas for 1-2 minutes on a side on low-medium heat in a cast iron skillet. Remove and place in a bowl lined with a kitchen towel to keep warm.
- While cast iron is hot, chop green tomatoes into large chunks and grill until deeply caramelized on all sides.
- Remove tomatoes and heat 1 cup vegetable oil in your skillet over medium heat until temperature reaches 325°F.
- Fry your blue potato chips for 4-5 minutes, moving with a frying spider to cook evenly. Remove from oil once they turn golden and place on a paper towel-lined baking sheet.
- Turn heat up to medium high until oil reaches 375°F. Fry your chips one more time for 1-2 minutes until crispy. Drain on new paper towels.
- While your oil is hot, fry tortillas for 30 seconds on a side, 2-3 at a time, turning once. Drain on the paper towel-lined baking sheet.
- To plate, pipe or smooth scallion mayo onto each tostada. Top with grilled tomatoes, potato chips, chopped scallions, pickled onions, 3 slices of fresh avocado, and cilantro.
Notes
- Sprinkle on sea salt, black pepper, and a touch of lime juice for extra flavor.
- You can make these with any color of masa harina.
- Feel free to add braised chicken, beans, or cheese for added protein.
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