Straight from the Earth

PLANTAIN TACOS with PUREED BLACK BEANS and MANGO-LIME SALSA

These tacos make a magnificent and memorable meal, and you’ll be more than eager to dig in once you see all the components displayed buffet-style. Slices of golden-brown plantains and mango-lime salsa are the star ingredients. There are few things as tasty as a juicy mango, and we’ve combined this fruit with sweet red bell peppers, jalapeños for a bit of heat, red onion for color and crunch, and fresh lime juice and zest to brighten the flavors. We like to add creamy avocado and crunchy romaine or cabbage to our tacos, but the beauty of this meal is that everyone can assemble their own favorite combinations. Although this recipe takes a bit of time to prepare, the various condiments can be made a day or two ahead of serving. You can also substitute canned refried black beans for my homemade version if you’re short on time. For people with big appetites, serve the tacos with sides of brown rice and black beans. —MYRA

Serves 6; makes 12 tacos

PUREED BLACK BEANS

¹/₄ cup/60 ml olive oil

1 small yellow onion, diced

2 bay leaves

4 large garlic cloves, finely minced

2 tsp ground cumin

2 tsp dried oregano

1 tsp salt

3¹/₃ cups/565 g cooked black beans (rinsed and drained if canned)

3 tbsp tomato paste

MANGO-LIME SALSA

1 large ripe mango, peeled, medium dice

1 medium red bell pepper, small dice

Grated zest of ¹/₂ lime

3 tbsp fresh lime juice

2¹/₂ tbsp finely minced, seeded jalapeño

2 tbsp finely chopped red onion

Pinch of salt

TACOS

2 ripe avocados

2 tbsp fresh lime juice

Pinch of red pepper flakes

Salt

Freshly ground black pepper

High-heat oil, such as safflower

3 large ripe plantains (they should be yellow with brown spots, slightly soft, but not mushy), cut on a slight diagonal into ¹/₄-in/6-mm slices

Twelve 6-in/15-cm corn tortillas

4 cups/280 g thinly sliced romaine hearts or shredded cabbage

1 cup/30 g packed minced fresh cilantro (optional)

To make the pureed beans: Heat the olive oil in a large skillet or saucepan over medium heat. Add the yellow onion and bay leaves and cook, stirring frequently, until the onion softens, about 8 minutes. Add the garlic, cumin, oregano, and salt and cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes. Add the beans, tomato paste, and ¹/₂ cup/120 ml water. Cook until the beans are warmed through and the liquid evaporates, 5 to 10 minutes. Discard the bay leaves.

Using an immersion blender or a food processor, puree the mixture until it is almost smooth. Transfer it to a serving bowl and serve at room temperature. The black bean puree can be covered and refrigerated for up to 3 days.

To make the salsa: Combine the mango, bell pepper, lime zest and juice, jalapeño, red onion, and salt in a medium bowl and stir gently to combine. Refrigerate, covered, for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld. The salsa can be made up to 2 days ahead.

To make the tacos: Mash the avocados to a coarse paste in a small bowl with a fork. Stir in the lime juice and red pepper flakes and season with salt and pepper. Set aside at room temperature.

Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat it to 300°F/150°C/gas 2.

Place two large skillets (preferably cast iron) over medium-high heat. Ready a plate lined with several layers of paper towels. When the skillets are hot, add enough high-heat oil to coat the bottom of each. When the oil is hot, arrange the plantain slices in a single layer and fry until the undersides are golden brown, about 2 minutes. Flip them over and cook another 1 to 2 minutes, or until golden brown. Transfer the plantains to the paper towel–lined plate to absorb excess oil. Arrange the slices on a platter and serve immediately. Alternatively, you can cook the plantains in batches and keep them warm in the oven for up to 10 minutes.

Place the tortillas directly on the rack in the oven and heat until they are warm, 5 to 8 minutes. Alternatively, you can warm them individually in a skillet on the stovetop. Once the tortillas are warm, keep them covered with a clean kitchen towel.

To serve, arrange the warm tortillas, plantains, mango salsa, bean puree, mashed avocado, romaine, and cilantro (if using) on a table. Let everyone assemble their own taco. Start with a smear of black bean puree, then top with 3 or 4 slices of plantain. Add a dollop of avocado and a dollop of mango salsa, then sprinkle with romaine and cilantro.