Jackfruit Ropa Vieja

SAVORY

Jun 22

Black Beans, Pickled Red Onions, Avocado, Spicy Peanuts, Tortilla

Chef Ricky Bella of Palomar | Portland, OR

INGREDIENTS

Jackfruit:
Yield: 8 quarts
Two 98-ounce cans jackfruit, strained and mashed
12 cups yellow onion, julienned
3 red bell peppers, julienned
3 green bell peppers, julienned
½ cup garlic paste
1 cup tomato paste
1½ cups white wine
2 tablespoon smoked paprika
2 tablespoons dried oregano
1½ tablespoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons ground black pepper
1 quart vegetable stock
¼ cup apple cider vinegar
2 cups chopped olives
Salt

Black Beans:
Yield: 12 quarts
5 pounds black beans, soaked
5 bay leaves
Salt
5 tablespoons ground cumin
½ cup sugar
½ cup apple cider vinegar
½ cup white wine
2 teaspoons oregano
2 yellow onions, diced
2 red bell pepper, diced
2 green bell peppers, diced
¼ cup tomato paste

Pickled Onions:
Yield: 12 quarts
20 red onions, julienned
5 quarts apple cider vinegar
1½ cups salt
2½ cups sugar
10 bay leaves
¼ cup black peppercorns
3 tablespoons mustard seeds
3 tablespoons coriander seeds

Spicy Peanuts:
Yield: 3 cups
6 cups annato oil
4 cups blanched peanuts
1 tablespoon cajun spice

To Assemble and Serve:
Neutral oil
1 tortilla
½ avocado, thinly sliced
Chopped cilantro
Chopped scallions

METHOD

For the Jackfruit:
In a sauté pan over medium heat, cook jackfruit, onions, and peppers until vegetables are soft. Add garlic and continue to cook until garlic is fragrant. Add tomato paste and cook until the mixture begins to caramelize, then deglaze the pan with wine. Stir in spices and pour in stock and vinegar. Bring to a simmer and cook additional 5 minutes. Remove pan from heat and stir in olives. Season with salt, then transfer to an airtight container and reserve.

For the Black Beans:
In a large stockpot over medium-high heat, bring beans, bay leaves, and 8 quarts water to a boil. Reduce heat and season with salt. Stir in cumin, sugar, vinegar, wine, and oregano. Keep warm. In a sauté pan over medium heat, cook onions and bell peppers until vegetables have softened. Reduce heat and add tomato paste. Continue to cook until raw tomato acidity is gone, then deglaze the pan with a splash of white wine. Add vegetable mixture to the beans. Cook mixture over medium heat until beans are tender, then transfer to a hotel pan and let cool. Once cooled, transfer to an airtight container and reserve.

For the Pickled Onions:
Place onions in a large nonreactive container. Set aside. In a saucepan over medium heat, bring vinegar, salt, sugar, bay leaves, and 5 quarts water to a boil. In a small sautépan over low heat, toast the peppercorns and seeds. Transfer toasted spices to the pickling liquid. Pour mixture over onions and let cool to room temperature.

For the Spicy Peanuts:
In a saucepan over medium heat, bring oil and peanuts to a simmer. Continue to cook until peanuts achieve a light golden brown color. Strain and transfer peanuts to a food processor. Pulse until peanuts are chopped in large pieces. Season with cajun spice. Transfer to an airtight container and reserve.

To Assemble and Serve:
In a sauté pan over medium flame, heat oil. Fry tortilla on both sides until golden. Season with salt and transfer to a cooling rack. Once cooled, place the tortilla on a serving plate. Top with desired amount of Jackfruit. Using a slotted spoon, top with desired amount of Black Beans. Fan avocado slices across the Black Beans. Season with salt and sprinkle with 2 tablespoons Spiced Peanuts. Garnish with a few Pickled Onions, cilantro, and scallions.

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