This simple recipe delivers meatiness without any meat. It calls for pan-searing hearty oyster mushrooms until they’re as crispy and golden as chicharrón. They’re then tucked into warm corn tortillas and paired with fresh pico de gallo for a quick vegan meal. The resulting dish recalls juicy carniceria tacos that balance the richness of fried meat with the acidic punch of salsa.

Mushroom Chicharrón Tacos

Ingredients for the pico de gallo:

• 1 large beefsteak tomato, cored and cut into 1/4-inch dice

• 1 large ripe Hass avocado, pitted, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch dice

• 2 jalapeños, stemmed and finely chopped (seeded if desired)

• 1/2 cup cilantro leaves, finely chopped

• 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice (from 1-2 limes)

• Coarse kosher salt

Ingredients for the mushroom tacos:

• 18 ounces oyster mushrooms (from 2-3 medium clusters)

• 1/3 cup neutral oil, such as canola

• 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

• 1 1/2 teaspoons coarse kosher salt

• Black pepper

• 12 corn tortillas

Directions:

Make the pico de gallo: Combine the tomato, avocado, jalapeños, cilantro and lime juice in a bowl and season with salt. Gently fold together. Set aside to allow flavors to marry while the mushrooms cook.

Make the tacos: Tear oyster mushrooms into bite-size pieces, leaving some tops whole. To make sure the mushrooms become crisp, cook in two batches: Heat a cast-iron or other heavy skillet over medium-high and coat with half the oil. Once oil is hot, add half the mushrooms in a single layer without crowding the skillet. Cook, stirring every few minutes, until deep golden brown and crisp, 10-15 minutes. Transfer to a plate, then repeat with the remaining oil and mushrooms. Return the first batch to the skillet, and add cumin and salt, and season with pepper. Stir well, then remove from the heat. While mushrooms are cook ing, warm tortillas on a comal or heavy skillet over medium-high heat until soft and pliable. Wrap them in a dish towel to keep them warm until ready to serve. Divide the mushrooms and pico de gal-lo among the warm tortillas. Serve immediately.

Total time: 30 minutes, serves 4.

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