LOS ANGELES There are many places where you might expect to find Danny Trejo. On-screen, in one of the 300 or so movies the 72-year-old actor has appeared in over his long career, including three From Dusk Till Dawn films. In commercials heres hoping he reprises his 2015 Marcia Brady imitation during the next Super Bowl. You might not expect to see Trejo working the line in a kitchen, even if it is his own restaurant.

On a recent morning, Trejo moved around the 400-square-foot kitchen of Trejos Cantina in Hollywood, the actors second taquera the original year-old location is on La Brea Avenue deftly working the stoves with his executive chef, John-Carlos Kuramoto. Finding Kuramoto, a veteran of Campanile, Michaels in Santa Monica and Osteria Mozza even though hes only 29, working the line is less unlikely.

Trejo is hardly wearing chefs whites. Hes dressed all in black, a large crucifix around his neck like a relic, his long hair under a Trejos Tacos baseball cap. His face, deeply etched around the handlebar mustache, is an off-road map. But the trademark scowl is noticeably absent, replaced by laughter, a running commentary with Kuramoto and the fact that he keeps pausing to eat tacos. And not just any tacos: the roasted cauliflower tacos that have become one of the most popular items on the restaurants menu.

This is how you take a bite of a vegan taco, says Trejo. You bite it harder.

My mom always wanted to open a restaurant, says the actor, who grew up in Echo Park and lives in Mission Hills. But my dad was like a Mexican Archie Bunker. We have a kitchen right there, hed say. Kuramoto tosses a corn tortilla onto the flattop like a frisbee as Trejo sautees cauliflower. Did he ever think hed open a restaurant? I never thought Id get out of prison, says Trejo, smiling broadly.

Before Trejo began appearing in movies, youd likely have found him in jail or in a boxing ring or both he won lightweight and welterweight titles while serving time in San Quentin for drug offenses or in the rooms of 12-step programs; he got his first acting job, as an extra, while working as a drug counselor. His appreciation of food evolved over time (when you get sober, youre not eating pickled pigs feet in a bar), and to reflect it. When youre in the industry, the entertainment industry, inevitably someones going to say: Im vegetarian, Im vegan.

So when Trejo actually opened a restaurant, not only did he and his chef put the tacos of Trejos childhood on the menu, they made sure to put vegetable-centered and specifically vegan tacos there as well.

Cauliflower is one of those things you fall in love with, says Kuramoto, as he arranges the heady mixture of orange, green, lavender and pale florets with roasted corn on the tortilla, adding a cream made from cashews, pickled onions, the traditional accompaniments of cilantro, radishes and lime wedges.

I thought about Nancys whole roasted cauliflower, the chef says. Hes talking, of course, about Nancy Silvertons whole vegetable dish, which the James Beard Award-winning chef has installed on the menu of Pizzeria Mozza, her restaurant about a mile and a half away from Trejos. (Silverton is one of the patron saints of L.A.s new vegetable cooking, as well as Kuramotos former boss at the Osteria.)

Were trying to stay as authentic as we can, Trejo says, putting down the breakfast burrito someone had handed him. My mom cooked with lard, he says, by way of explanation. But they also want to cater to a community of families, of both kids and adults with health concerns and, yes, the entertainment industry that has given Trejo a remarkably prolific career thats showing little signs of slowing down.

Kuramoto goes back to work: Jidori chicken with achiote, or maybe the taco hes making with young jackfruit and tomatillos. And Trejo heads out into the restaurants casual dining room to greet some regulars, the kitchen doors swinging behind him like those in an imaginary saloon.

ROASTED RAINBOW CAULIFLOWER TACOS

About 1 hour, plus overnight soaking time. Makes 6 tacos

CASHEW CREAM

1 cup cashews

3 cups water

2 tablespoons salt, or to taste

2 teaspoons lime juice, or to taste

In a bowl, soak the cashews in water, cover and set aside overnight at room temperature for the cashews to soften. The next day, strain the cashews, reserving the water. In a blender, puree the cashews with enough water to form a smooth sauce with the texture of heavy cream. Season with salt and lime juice to taste. This makes a generous cup of cream, which will keep, covered and refrigerated, up to 5 days.

PICKLED ONIONS

1 small red onion, very thinly sliced

cup lime juice

1 tablespoon salt

In a nonreactive bowl, stir together the onion, lime juice and salt until the salt is dissolved and all of the onion is covered. Set the mixture aside to marinate for at least 20 minutes before assembling the tacos. The pickled onions will keep, 3 to 5 days, covered and refrigerated.

GRILLED WHITE CORN

2 ears white corn, husks removed

Olive oil, for brushing

teaspoon salt, or to taste

teaspoon freshly ground pepper, or to taste

Brush the corn with a light coat of olive oil and sprinkle over salt and pepper to taste. Cook the corn over a grill or grill pan heated over medium-high heat until the corn is charred and tender on all sides, 6 to 8 minutes. Remove from heat and cut the kernels from the cobs. You should have about 1 cup corn kernels. Set aside.

ROASTED CAULIFLOWER

4 cups colored cauliflower florets, from a mixture of purple, orange, green and white cauliflower heads

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon salt, or to taste

teaspoon freshly ground pepper, or to taste

Heat the oven to 400 degrees. In a bowl, toss the cauliflower florets with the olive oil, salt and pepper to taste, until evenly combined. Spread the cauliflower onto a rimmed baking sheet and roast until slightly charred and tender, about 15 minutes, depending on the size of the florets.

ROASTED RAINBOW CAULIFLOWER TACOS

1 teaspoon olive oil

Prepared roasted cauliflower

Prepared grilled white corn

Salt

Lime juice, for seasoning

6 corn tortillas, warmed

cup prepared cashew cream, or to taste

Prepared pickled onions

Cilantro leaves, for garnish

Crushed roasted cashews, for garnish

2 radishes, thinly sliced, for garnish

Lime wedges, for serving

1. Heat a saute pan over medium-high heat until hot, and add the olive oil. Add the cauliflower and corn, stirring until warmed through. Remove from heat. Taste and season the mixture as desired with salt and lime juice.

2. To assemble the tacos, drizzle about 2 tablespoons cashew cream over each warmed tortilla. Spoon over about 1/2 cup of the cauliflower corn mixture. Top the mixture with a pinch of pickled onions, and garnish with cilantro leaves, roasted cashews and radish slices. Serve the tacos with lime wedges.

Note: Adapted from a recipe by Trejos Tacos.

Link:

How to make Danny Trejo's favorite vegan cauliflower tacos - The Keene Sentinel