Rattlesnake Bean, Tofu & Mole Tostadas

This recipe serves a big crowd (6-8 people) or will give you extras for the weekday lunch. Store components separately in the fridge.

Rattlesnake Bean & Tofu Mole Tostadas
6 (6-inch) tortillas cut and fried until crisped
8 ounces Front Field Farm rattlesnake beans.
4 to 5 cups water
1 bay leaf
Vegetable oil
1/3 onion diced
1 large clove garlic
2 tsp ground cumin seeds, toasted
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1 block firm tofu
Garnishes: sour cream, arugula, thinly-sliced radish

Beans and Tofu
Soak beans overnight in a large pot of water. In the morning, drain the beans and add fresh water. Cook beans for 30 min - 1 hour with bay leaf. They're done when tender throughout. Drain, reserving the liquid. Sauté garlic and onion until translucent. Combine all ingredients with beans and some reserved liquid.

Drain tofu. crumble into a bowl and moisten with mole sauce (recipe follows).

When ready to serve, lay out tortillas on plates. Add some rattlesnake beans, some tofu in mole sauce and then top with sour cream, arugula and thinly-sliced radish.

Mole Sauce
8 dried chiles negro
8 dried ancho chiles
6 tbsp sesame seeds
1 tbsp whole black peppercorns
6 whole cloves
6 juniper berries
2 fried corn tortillas
1 large onion quartered
3 or 4 cloves garlic
2 large tomatoes halved
4 cups vegetable or chicken stock
3 ounces bittersweet chocolate
2 tbsp salt

Sauté onion, garlic and whole spices. Fry dried chiles in hot skillet until a little soft. Put chiles in a bowl and take out seeds. Save 1 tbsp of the chile seeds to add back in. Toast the sesame seeds in a pan until brown. Combine the ingredients and boil for 1/2 hour. Add chocolate and puree in a blender until smooth.

Image credit: recipe.com