Mexican: Mole Plantain Tacos

Before moving to Coatepec two years ago, I had heard of but never tried mole. Then one day, shortly after we had moved here, we were invited to the home of a local doctor who had given me my initial checkup. We went and his wife had just made a fresh batch of homemade mole. She smeared the thick paste onto a tortilla and offered us a taste. WOW!! Chocolate, spices, & dried peppers all fused to create an explosion of flavor in a single bite. Being the chocophile that I am, I was hooked! And my brain was buzzing with ideas on how to create veggie dishes with the sauce. As luck would have it, a locally owned company called Castizo produces & sells tasty, good quality mole. With an endless supply of mole and some experimenting, I created a winner! Even the locals love this dish.

Mole Plantain Tacos

2-3 ripe plantains, sliced & quartered

1 red bell pepper, cored, deseeded & diced

1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped (stems & leaves)

1/4 c. Spanish green olives, chopped

1/4 c. mole paste

1/4 c. water

Add the cut plantains, bell pepper, olives. & cilantro to a large bowl.

Rinse & drain the black beans. Add to the bowl.

Prepare the mole sauce by blending the mole paste and water. Pour the mole over the plantains & veggies.

Stir well, evenly coating all the ingredients.

Spray an 8x11 baking dish with PAM and empty the contents of the bowl into it.

Cover with foil and bake for 15-20 min. in a 350°F preheated oven.

Remove the foil & let cool for 5 min before serving

Serve with salad, tortillas, guacamole, & salsa.

Have fun making tacos!