Huitlacoche, Mushroom & Poblano Puree Tarts

I am so grateful for the richness of my life. I am surrounded by loving, vibrant, funny, and talented people and a pretty adorable dog. I live in the heart of San Francisco’s Mission District– a neighborhood where Latino families and artists have traditionally lived side by side- where the demographics are changing, but for the most part peace and vibrancy still preside.  The land around me is some of the most fertile in the world and provides the most beautiful & abundant produce, cheeses, meats, & wine.  Gratitude is a big part of my life and to have a whole day dedicated to it, suits me just fine.

Local food is always a mainstay of our table, but for this meal, I decided to focus not only on the local foods, but also on the local flavors, and the local merchants. I shopped for everything within three miles of my house (excluding the pork leg) every ingredient was sourced rom a small local business or a farmers market in an effort to honor my community on fthis special day as well.

Having grown up in California, Latin foods have always been a part of my life. As I developed my own cooking style, my French heritage and my deep appreciation for the foods of Mexico, El Salvador, Argentina and Puerto Rico have often seen a lively interplay.  This Thanksgiving, a day of gratitude, un dia de gracias, I set about creating a menu that would highlight some of my favorite traditional Latin dishes and some with a new twist.

One of the most exciting of these dishes for me was the huitlacoche and poblano puree tarts. Huitlacoche or corn smut as it’s called in the US is a fungus that grows on corn. It has a sweet, smoky flavor with a depth that some compare to truffles- some even refer to this delicacy as a Mexican truffle. I was introduced to Huitlacoche some years ago at a Nuevo Latino restaurant- it was stuffed inside the skin of a roasted chicken. I’ve dreamed of finding fresh Huitlacoche ever since. I‘ve heard tales of “just missing it” at the farmers market, but I’ve never seen it fresh. For this meal, I knew I had to have it, so with some serious searching I found that Far West Fungi sometimes carries some frozen. Off to the Ferry Building, I went.

These tarts were mind-alteringly delicious. If you cannot find Huitlacoche fresh or frozen, I’d stay away from the ones in the can. Simply double up on the mushrooms and add a dose of good quality truffle oil and the end of cooking.