By Genevieve
As promised, I finally have a new recipe to share! Today's post is actually more like two recipes in one, since each of the components can be made and eaten either separately or together.
I started out with the intention of making quesadillas filled with a black bean, corn and plantain mixture, and topped with a fresh and fruity salsa. I decided not to add any cheese to the filling because I wanted to keep them light, and I didn't think that cheese would really go with the plantains.
The preparation part went smoothly, but it wasn't until I had baked them, photographed them, and started eating them that I realized what a crucial mistake I had made....it turns out that a quesadilla really isn't a quesdailla unless it has cheese. Otherwise, there's nothing to bind everything together and you end up with just two tortillas and a filling that spills out every time you try to take a bite!
I still loved the taste of my "quesadillas" though, so I wasn't ready to give up on them yet! I repurposed my leftovers and turned them into a simple tortilla wrap instead, which was much easier to eat and just as delicious!
I loved the combination of sweet and spicy flavors in the filling - plantains pair so well with black beans, and the corn added a nice crunchy dimension. Even though there were a lot of ingredients between the filling and the salsa, I thought everything worked really well together! The mango-jicama salsa was so light and refreshing, which was a nice change from the usual sour cream and tomato salsa that is served with Mexican dishes.
I thought this was such a fun and tasty meal for summer, and I like that you can use the components in different ways. For example, I think the salsa would be good on its own with chips, or on top of veggie burgers, chicken or fish. The filling could also be eaten on its own, or used for tacos, wraps, burritos or quesadillas - just make sure you add some cheese if you want it to stick together!
Black Bean, Corn & Plantain Tortillas with Mango Jicama Salsa
Ingredients:
Salsa
- 1 cup diced jicama
- 1 small mango, diced (about 1/2 cup)
- 1/4 cup diced cucumber
- 2 tbsp finely chopped red onion
- 1/2 a jalapeno, minced
- Juice of half a lime
- 2 tbsp chopped cilantro
- Salt and chili powder to taste
Tortillas
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1/2 a small red onion, diced
- 1 ripe plantain (yellow with black spots), peeled and chopped
- 1 ear of corn, kernels removed
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1/2 a jalapeno, minced
- 1/2 can (1 cup) black beans, rinsed and drained
- Juice of half a lime
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 1/2 tsp cumin
- 1/4 tsp ground coriander
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
- shredded cheese (optional - I left it out)
- 6 small whole wheat or corn tortillas
Instructions:
To make salsa:
Place the jicama, mango, cucumber, red onion and jalapeno in a small bowl and toss to combine. Add the lime juice and cilantro and stir. Sprinkle with salt and chili powder to taste. Refrigerate until serving time.
To make filling:
Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, plantain and corn kernels and sauté, stirring occasionally, for about 8 minutes (until the plantain has softened and starting to brown). Add the garlic and jalapeno and cook for 30-60 seconds, stirring. Stir in the black beans, lime juice, chili powder, cumin, coriander and salt. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook until the beans are heated through. Stir in the cilantro and remove from heat.
Oven option for quesadillas:
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Lay out three tortillas on a baking sheet. Divide the filling mixture on top of each of the three tortillas and sprinkle shredded cheese on top if desired. Press the remaining three tortillas over top of the filling for each quesadilla.
Place quesadillas in the preheated oven and cook for about 15 minutes, until the tortillas are starting to turn crisp and golden.
Remove from oven and slice into wedges.
Serve with jicama salsa.
Tortilla option for wraps:
Lay out three to four tortilla shells (you may want to warm them in the microwave first). Divide filling mixture on top of each tortillas. Top with a couple spoonfuls of the salsa. Roll up each tortilla to make a wrap. Serve with extra salsa on the side.
Makes 3-4 tortillas (you may have extra salsa leftover).
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