Ok, this recipe is so much fun because you will be so pleased with yourself at the end of it!

Of course its delicious. But there is a real satisfaction in working with jackfruit. It is totally transformed and its really cool to witness. So have fun!!

 Jackfruit and Black Bean Taquitos

Yield: About 16 taquitos

Ingredients

For the Jackfruit

3-20 oz. cans of Jackfruit (in water)

2 teaspoons olive oil

1/2 onion chopped

2 garlic cloves, pressed

1 Tablespoon tomato paste

1 teaspoon Cumin

1/2 teaspoon chili powder

1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika

3/4 teaspoon salt

3 teaspoons sugar

1 cup vegetable broth

For the Black Beans

1- 14 oz can black beans

2 teaspoons olive oil

1/2 onion, chopped

1 clove garlic, pressed

1 teaspoon cumin

1/2 teaspoon salt

18- corn tortillas

Procedure:

For the Jackfruit

Drain the Jackfruit and cut the core off. Then squeeze out the excess water. Don’t worry about being too delicate with it. The jackfruit is pretty sturdy.

Remove any seeds and seed pods. If you miss some, its really fine. They are soft, they just won’t texturally work the same. Then shred the jackfruit a bit. You will be breaking it up more, so its ok if you still have some big chunks.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a pan with parchment and lightly oil.

In a sauté pan over medium, add the oil and cook onions until translucent, stirring periodically to avoid scorching the onions.

Add garlic, cumin, chili powder, smoked paprika and salt. Cook one minute more or until herbs become fragrant.

Add the jackfruit and stir until covered.

Add broth, sugar and tomato paste and cook until the water is absorbed.

Spread the jackfruit out onto the prepared pan and bake in the oven for 20 minutes. Turn with a spatula, making sure to keep it well spread out and cook another 10-15 minutes.

*You are trying to dry out the jackfruit  so the texture becomes more toothsome. If you want it drier, bake it longer, but be careful not to let it burn!

For the Black Beans

While the jackfruit is in the oven heat the same saucepan with 2 teaspoons of olive oil. Saute the onions over medium heat until translucent, about 5-7 minutes.

Add garlic, cumin and salt and cook for one minute more. Add rinsed beans and broth.

Mash up the beans with the back of a wooden spoon so that about half of the beans are mashed. Then cover and lower heat to low. Cook until most of the liquid has absorbed, about 5-7 minutes.

Assembly

Warm your tortillas either by wrapping them in a towel and microwaving for a minute, or in a steamer, or any way you prefer. Have your fillings ready to go assembly style.

Spread about a Tablespoon of the bean filling and then the jackfruit and roll taquitos finishing them with the seam on the bottom.

Place on the prepared baking sheet, seam side down and spray or brush them lightly with oil. Bake for 10 minutes. Turn and bake for another 5-10 minutes or until golden.

Serve with some fresh guacamole and inhale!!

You can always make these into taco fillings as well!