Plantain & Bean Patties

Serves 4

What You Need for the Black Bean Filling:

• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1/2 white onion, diced
• 1 tomato, diced
• 3/4 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 4-ounce can mild green chiles
• 1 15.5-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 teaspoon hot sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

What You Do for the Black Bean Filling:

1. Heat vegetable oil in a skillet over medium heat and sauté onion and tomato until onion is lightly browned. Add cumin and chiles, stirring gently.
2. Add black beans, hot sauce and salt. Combine ingredients and heat thoroughly.

What You Need for the Plantain Patties:

• 6 ripe plantains, peeled and cut into chunks
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 2 tablespoons raw sugar
• 2 tablespoons water, more as needed

What You Do for the Plantain Patties:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Heat large pot of water on stovetop until boiling. Add plantains and boil until tender. Drain, and mash with potato masher. Stir in baking powder and sugar.
2. When cool enough to handle, add water, adding more if necessary to create consistency to form patties. Form into four 4-inch circles.
3. Place a heaping tablespoon of the black bean mixture in the middle of one patty. Place another patty on top and seal around sides to close. Fill in any openings with pieces of mashed plantain, and repeat. On a cookie sheet, bake patties for 15 minutes.
4. Heat vegetable oil in skillet over medium heat and fry patties on both sides until golden brown. To serve, spoon remaining black bean filling over each patty and drizzle on your favorite enchilada or vegan molé sauce. Serve with saffron-flavored rice and Exotic Fruit & Baby Greens Salad.