Maduros
January/28/08 13:45
Platanos maduros are
sweet and sometimes a bit tangy. They need to be
really ripe in order to have the right caramelized
flavor and delicate texture.
Traditionally they are sliced in thin strips and fried. Throughout Latin America they are cooked differently - some places bake them to eliminate the need for the oil.
Here is one way to cook them.
4 ripe dark-skinned plantains
vegetable oil
1. Heat vegetable oil in skillet over medium heat.
2. Fully peel plantains, and cut them diagonally into approximately 1-inch wide pieces, working your way down the length of the plantain. (NOT length-wise slices).
3. Carefully place pieces of plantain in skillet.
4. Turning when necessary, fry plantains until golden brown and caramelized on the edges. The plantains will be rather soft - they're supposed to be.
5. They will be sweet - the riper the plantains, the sweeter they will be.
Traditionally they are sliced in thin strips and fried. Throughout Latin America they are cooked differently - some places bake them to eliminate the need for the oil.
Here is one way to cook them.
4 ripe dark-skinned plantains
vegetable oil
1. Heat vegetable oil in skillet over medium heat.
2. Fully peel plantains, and cut them diagonally into approximately 1-inch wide pieces, working your way down the length of the plantain. (NOT length-wise slices).
3. Carefully place pieces of plantain in skillet.
4. Turning when necessary, fry plantains until golden brown and caramelized on the edges. The plantains will be rather soft - they're supposed to be.
5. They will be sweet - the riper the plantains, the sweeter they will be.
Green Plantains
January/23/08 11:39
Platanos verde or
plantos maduros? Each have a different flavor, both
are delicious.
Plantains are not bananas. They tend to be firmer and lower in sugar content than bananas. Plantains are almost always cooked. Bananas are actually a sub-species of the plantain. There is a full explanation of the plantain and its origins here.
Platanos verde are frequently cooked into patacones. Patacones are twice fried little tastes which are probably the Panamanian equivalent of french fries. We use them in a variety of ways. Plain as a side to a sandwich. With pico de gallo (borrowed from our friends in Mexico) as an appetizer. With cream cheese, smoked salmon and a special cilantro sauce as an appetizer. A larger version as a tostado (or base) for a delicious seafood or chicken sauce.
The easiest way to make patacones is as follows:
4 large green plantains
vegetable oil
salt
Peel the plantains and cut into 3-4 pieces. Fry in hot vegetable oil. When they are golden, take them out of the oil and pound them flat. Return them to the oil and refry for a few minutes. Remove and place on absorbant paper. Sprinkle salt to taste.
Plantains are not bananas. They tend to be firmer and lower in sugar content than bananas. Plantains are almost always cooked. Bananas are actually a sub-species of the plantain. There is a full explanation of the plantain and its origins here.
Platanos verde are frequently cooked into patacones. Patacones are twice fried little tastes which are probably the Panamanian equivalent of french fries. We use them in a variety of ways. Plain as a side to a sandwich. With pico de gallo (borrowed from our friends in Mexico) as an appetizer. With cream cheese, smoked salmon and a special cilantro sauce as an appetizer. A larger version as a tostado (or base) for a delicious seafood or chicken sauce.
The easiest way to make patacones is as follows:
4 large green plantains
vegetable oil
salt
Peel the plantains and cut into 3-4 pieces. Fry in hot vegetable oil. When they are golden, take them out of the oil and pound them flat. Return them to the oil and refry for a few minutes. Remove and place on absorbant paper. Sprinkle salt to taste.