Puerto Rican Beef and Plantains (Beef Mofongo)

Try this deliciously simple Puerto Rican dish and you'll know why it's so popular!

This recipe is an excellent source of fiber, protein, niacin, vitamin B6, vitamin B12, iron, selenium and zinc; and a good source of choline.

Recipe Ingredients:

1 pound ground beef
1 small yellow onion, chopped
1 small green bell pepper, chopped
1/4 cup packed fresh cilantro leaves
6 cloves garlic - divided use
1 teaspoon coriander and annatto seasoning mix
1 (15.5 to 16-ounce) can black beans, rinsed, drained
1 (14.5-ounce) can fire-roasted tomatoes, undrained
1/2 cup sliced green olives with pimentos
4 unripe plantains, peeled, cut into 1-inch chunks
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 cup canned French fried onions (optional)

Optional Toppings: Lime wedges, chopped cilantro and additional French fried onions

Cooking Directions:

1. Combine onion, pepper, 2 garlic cloves and cilantro in food processor container. Cover; process until finely chopped.
2. Heat large nonstick skillet over medium heat until hot. Add ground beef and vegetable mixture; cook 8 to 10 minutes, breaking beef into 3/4-inch crumbles and stirring occasionally. Stir in black beans, tomatoes, olives and seasoning mix; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. Meanwhile, place plantains, remaining 4 cloves garlic and salt in large saucepan; cover with water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer 35 to 40 minutes or until plantains are very tender. Remove from heat; drain, reserving cooking liquid. Mash plantains and garlic, adding cooking liquid as needed to create a soft, chunky texture. Just before serving, stir in French fried onions, if desired.
4. Divide plantain mixture evenly onto four plates; top evenly with beef mixture. Garnish with optional toppings, if desired.

Makes 4 servings.

Test Kitchen Tips:

• Cooking times are for fresh or thoroughly thawed ground beef.
• Ground beef should be cooked to an internal temperature of 160°F (71.1°C).
• Color is not a reliable indicator of ground beef doneness.
• Meatballs can also be served as an appetizer.

Nutritional Information Per Serving (1/4 of recipe using 80% lean ground beef): 545 calories; 17 g fat (6 g saturated fat; 8 g monounsaturated fat); 76 mg cholesterol; 1327 mg sodium; 76 g carbohydrate; 9.2 g fiber; 30 g protein; 8.7 mg niacin; 1.0 mg vitamin B6; 2.4 mcg vitamin B12; 5.3 mg iron; 22.0 mcg selenium; 5.8 mg zinc; 101.3 mg choline.

Nutritional Information Per Serving (1/4 of recipe using 93% lean ground beef): 492 calories; 10 g fat (4 g saturated fat; 5 g monounsaturated fat); 76 mg cholesterol; 1323 mg sodium; 76 g carbohydrate; 9.2 g fiber; 31 g protein; 8.0 mg niacin; 1.0 mg vitamin B6; 2.3 mcg vitamin B12; 5.6 mg iron; 21.4 mcg selenium; 6.3 mg zinc; 106.0 mg choline.

Recipe and photograph courtesy of The Beef Checkoff.