Tacos are just delicious, aren’t they? Ever since my first ever encounter with them I’ve thought so. Here in Sweden it’s actually custom to eat “tacos” on friday evenings while you watch a family show on tv like Idol or Strictly Come Dancing/Dancing with the Stars or as we call it Let’s Dance. I say “tacos” because most people here in Sweden make more of a burrito but without rice or beans. Most of us chop up a bunch of vegetables and serve them buffet style and make some mince (in our case vegan of course) and then wrap it all in large wheat tortillas along with salsa and in our house we always made a sauce from creme fraiche and garlic. Nowadays we make guacamole as well but what goes in it looks very different from family to family. Basically it’s a Swedish take on tacos and probably not very similar to the original taco culture in Mexico. It’s delicious though and I will forever be grateful for this gorgeous food invention.

The toppings in this recipe are a little different to the ones I grew up eating here in Sweden but oh so yummy and I have tried to recreate more traditional flavours. I am no expert on Mexican cooking however but still think I’ve created something delicious. I probably over stuff my tacos too with lots of toppings but I just can’t help it – it’s so yummy. You could always make two types of tacos out of the components in this recipe though – one with refried beans and one with the spicy pulled jackfruit, both topped with the fresh salsa.

Spicy Pulled Jackfruit

If you’ve never had jackfruit it might sound a little odd to you to make a savoury taco topping out of a sweet fruit. In this recipe I use canned young green jackfruit in brine though which has not yet developed the sweet flavour of ripe jackfruit. It has a really great texture as you pull it apart and looks a little like carnitas, the pulled meat that top a traditional type of taco. The jackfruit soaks up flavour really well and with the spices and sauces used in this recipe you would never think it’s a fruit. I like to cook mine until it’s moist but not crisp but you could definitely continue cooking it in a little more oil in the pan or pop it in the oven to crisp it up a little if you like.

Refried Black Beans

Traditionally I understand that refried beans are made from pinto beans but I find it’s delicious made with black beans as well and even with red kidney beans or a mixture of them. Here in Sweden we can’t really get a hold of pinto beans and for that reason black beans have become my go to for this dish. You could use pinto beans if you prefer of course and simply cook them the same way, the choice is yours. Traditional refried beans are also often made with pork or bacon fat and of course this is not on the menu here at Good Eatings. To emulate the richer and a little bit smokey flavour of this I use some smoked paprika in this recipe. There are always ways of emulating the flavours of traditional ingredients, while it might not be exactly the same I think these refried beans hold their own with a depth of flavour and creamy black bean goodness.

Fresh Apple Salsa

Finally a note on my apple salsa which is really a finely chopped salad with tomato, cucumber and red onion and flavoured with lime and fresh coriander. I love to add fruit to my tacos though which pairs so nicely with the savoury and spicy notes of the jackfruit or vegan mice that we often also cook as a topping. Here I am using apple because this is the season for it and we must celebrate the beautiful local produce that are available to us right?! I do love to use some exotic fruits like pineapple or mango in the same mix as well though as a treat now and again. In the summer when we can get European peaches and Swedish strawberries they taste really great in the salsa as well. You can really use any fruit that is local and seasonal to where you are and the time of year you’re in. Get creative!

Malin x