**Fried Green Plantains: A Caribbean Delicacy with a Twist**
Crispy on the outside and soft and flavorful on the inside, fried green plantains are a beloved dish with origins in the Caribbean and Latin America. These versatile plantains can be prepared in various ways, each offering a unique taste experience. This article presents a collection of fried green plantain recipes that cater to different preferences and skill levels.
From classic fried green plantains with a crispy coating to creative dishes like plantain chips and plantain croutons, these recipes offer a delightful culinary journey. Whether you're a seasoned cook or just starting, there's something for everyone to enjoy. So, grab some green plantains and get ready to explore the delicious possibilities that await.
TWICE-FRIED AND MASHED GREEN PLANTAINS (TOSTONES)
Provided by Sunny Anderson
Categories side-dish
Time 12m
Yield 4 to 6 servings
Number Of Ingredients 3
Steps:
- In a heavy pot, add enough oil to fill halfway. Heat until a deep-frying thermometer reads 350 degrees F or the handle of a wooden spoon begins to sizzle immediately when dipped in the oil.
- Add the plantains and fry until bright yellow and slightly golden brown, about 4 minutes. Remove from the oil with a slotted spoon to a sheet of parchment paper. Make sure all pieces are standing tall on the cut side, then place another sheet over the top. Using a small plate, glass or other flat item smash each piece into a 1/4-inch jagged circle.
- Place the plantain discs back in the oil and fry for 4 to 6 more minutes or until the edges are golden brown. Remove to a wire rack and sprinkle with salt.
FRIED GREEN PLANTAINS AND GARLIC SAUCE: TOSTONES WITH MOJO
Provided by Food Network
Categories side-dish
Time 40m
Yield 6 to 8 servings
Number Of Ingredients 5
Steps:
- Peel plantains and cut on a diagonal into 3/4-inch thick slices. In a heavy skillet, heat 3/4 cup oil and fry plantain slices until golden brown. Lift slices onto plate or tray to cool, and press with spatula to flatten. Return to hot oil and fry again until crisp. Drain on paper towels. Season with salt and pepper, and keep warm on a serving plate.
- In small bowl, make mojo by whisking together fresh garlic, sour orange juice, and remaining 1/4 cup oil. Dress each serving of plantains with mojo and serve immediately.
FRIED GREEN PLANTAINS
Tostones. In many Latin American countries, crunchy tostones are as popular (and served as often) as french fries are here. A single bite of their salty crust and tender interior will tell you why they're so beloved.
Provided by Melissa Roberts
Categories Vegetable Side Fry Vegetarian Quick & Easy Plantain Gourmet Vegan Pescatarian Dairy Free Wheat/Gluten-Free Peanut Free Tree Nut Free Soy Free No Sugar Added Kosher
Yield Makes 4 to 6 (side dish) servings
Number Of Ingredients 3
Steps:
- Cut ends from each plantain with a sharp small knife, then cut a lengthwise slit through peel. Cut plantains crosswise into 1-inch-thick pieces and, beginning at slit, pry off peel.
- Heat 1/2 inch oil in a deep 10- to 12-inch heavy skillet over medium heat until just hot enough to sizzle when a piece of plantain is added. Fry plantains in 2 batches, turning occasionally with tongs, until tender and just golden, 5 to 7 minutes per batch. Transfer plantains to paper towels to drain, reserving oil in skillet.
- Flatten each plantain to 1/4 inch thick with a tostone press or bottom of a heavy saucepan.
- Stir together warm water and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a bowl. Heat reserved oil over medium heat until it shimmers. Dip a flattened plantain in salted water and gently place, without patting dry, in hot oil. (Plantains will not spatter.) Repeat with several more pieces and fry plantains (without crowding) in 4 or 5 batches, turning occasionally, until golden, about 3 minutes per batch. Transfer with tongs to clean paper towels to drain. Season with salt and serve immediately.
FRIED GREEN PLANTAINS STUFFED WITH SHRIMP, TOSTONES RELLENOS CON CAMARON
I first ate these in a Cuban restuarant. The first time I tasted these fried green plantains I could not get enough of them. The plantains had been shaped in a bowl like small cup with the shrimp cooked in a wonderful sauce placed inside the little well in the plantain. You can get the little tostone press at any Pharmacia...
Provided by Juliann Esquivel
Categories Other Side Dishes
Time 1h30m
Number Of Ingredients 21
Steps:
- 1. First peel the plantains, run the point of a sharp knife down each seam of the each green plantain. Cut the end off and with the sharp knife pry back the skin of the plantain pushing the sharp knife tip under and between the skin and the plantain right along the seam. The skin will come off easly and peel back exposing the plantain. Do each plantain this way. Once all are peeled cut into 2 inch long chunks. Place into a large bowl of cold water until ready to use. If you do not put into water they will turn brown like a potatoe.
- 2. Next in a large skillet heat (half the butter 3 tablespoons and half the olive oil 3 tablespoons). Add the onion, fresh garlic, green pepper, and cilantro, saute in the olive oil/butter until the veggies are limp. Next add the wine, tomato sauce, cocktail sauce, bay leaf, oregano, sazon goya packet, cumin and garlic powder, salt, black pepper and cayanne pepper. Saute all very well about five minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
- 3. Now in another pot under a very low flame melt the remaining 3 tablespoons butter and 3 tablespoons oil. Add the cleaned and cut up shrimp and over a very low low flame cover and let cook ever so slow. Just until the shrimp start to turn pink. Do not raise the flame. Turn off the shrimp and remove from the burner. Uncover the sofrito sauce pot that you just made and add the shrimp mix well. Cover and over a low flame cook for only two minutes more do not cook longer two minutes. After two minutes remove from heat leave covered until ready to use.
- 4. Next remove the plantains from the water and dry each plantain real well with a cotton or terry cloth clean dish towel. Make sure each piece is well dried free of any water. Heat your oil in a large heavy skillet or cast iron skillet. When oil is shimmering put about 6 pieces of plantains in the hot oil and fry on all sides until light golden on each side. Fry the plantains about three minutes each rolling over and over to be sure they are fried well on both sides. Next remove to a plate lined with paper towels. Now open your Tostone press lay one plantain in the little well and close the press over the plantain. Push down and then open again your plantain will have been shaped and turned into a little cup. Remove from the press and put back into the hot oil fry until nice and crisp about two minutes more. Do each one like this. After frying all of your plantains remove all of your plantains to a large platter sprinkle with some salt and with a large tablespoon fill eah cup with a heaping spoonful of shrimp and sauce. Serve immedietly. They are so delicious you wont be able to stop eating them. Enjoy
- 5. Tip: I sometimes buy 12 large green plantains and and press out the small cups but do not do they second fry. After I make and press out the cups I wrap in strips of parchment paper putting one cup into the other seperated by the parchment paper then I put into a large freezer bag and freeze. When I am making filled plantain cups I just take out fry each cup the second time and fill with my favorite shrimp or other meat filling. I always keep a supply of plantain cups in the freezer for filling on the spur of the moment. They are great appetizers for when company stops by and you are in a bind for making something nice and fast. LOL
CUBAN FRIED GREEN PLANTAINS ( TOSTONES CUBANOS)
I was first introduced to fried green plantains when I first got married. My mother-in-law was in the kitchen peeling the green plantains. I was really interested. I had never tasted or even see green plantains she cut them in little chunks and fried them once. Then she pulled them out smashed them down into little round circles...
Provided by Juliann Esquivel
Categories Vegetable Appetizers
Time 30m
Number Of Ingredients 3
Steps:
- 1. Peel green plantains. To Peel plantains run the tip of a small steak knife down the seams of the plantain from the top all the way to the bottom. Do all the seams this way. There is usually three or four seams to a plantain. After slitting the seams with the knife stick the tip under the seam and start to pry up the peel with your finger work your way under the peel pushing further and further under the peel of the plantain. It will start to give very easly as you work your finger under the peel. Remove the whole piece. Go to the next seam and do the same thing until you have removed all three or four peels. Now cut plantains into 1 inch chunks.
- 2. Heat oil on high in a heavy cast iron skillet or heavy fry pan. When oil is shimmering lower to medium heat and gently with a pair of tongs put the plantain chunks into the hot oil one at a time. Being careful not to splatter yourself. Fry one side then turn over on the other side. They will be should start to turn to light golden shade. Fry about 1 1/2 minutes each side. Remove them to a paper towell lined plate or pan. If you have a tostonera smash each piece one at a time and remove to a plate. If you do not have a tostonera take a brown paper bag lay it on the table open place a plantain on one side then fold over the other half of the bag and with your palm push down on top of the plantain applying pressure so as to smash down th eplantain chunk. Lift up the bag and you should have a round circle about 1/4 inch thick. Do all of the plantains chunks like this. Place back in the hot oil and fry again on both sides until the plantains are golden brown. take out and salt. Serve immediatly. Some people like to sprinkle some water over the plantains after smashing them down. Leaving them soak up the water for 10 minutes and then returning to the fry pan for the second fry. They crisp up real nice. I do not like to do it this way because it causes the hot oil to spatter to much. However you get a much crispier and tender tostone with this method. Salt and Enjoy
PLATANOS VERDES (FRIED GREEN PLANTAINS)
Provided by Daisann Mclane
Categories easy, quick, side dish
Time 10m
Yield Six to eight servings
Number Of Ingredients 4
Steps:
- In a large, deep skillet or wok, heat the oil (about a depth of 1 inch) to 350 degrees.
- Sprinkle the plantain slices with lime juice and place them in the hot oil. Fry until the plantains are golden and slightly soft, but not brown (lower heat if necessary), about 30 seconds. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Keep the oil hot.
- Place the rounds between brown paper and flatten slightly, using a rolling pin or the heel of your hand. Dip the pressed rounds in a bowl of lightly salted water and return them to the skillet. Fry until deep golden, about 45 seconds to 1 minute. Remove with a slotted spoon, drain on paper towels and serve.
TOSTONES (TWICE FRIED GREEN PLANTAINS) WITH MAYO-KETCHUP DIPPING SAUCE
I love plantains and I craved these all the time when I was pregnant. They are great as a side dish or appetizer. After you smash them, but before you fry them the second time, you can put them in a resealable plastic bag and freeze them for later. There's no need to defrost them but be careful when you drop them in the hot oil. You can adjust the mayonnaise to ketchup ratio to your liking and add more or less garlic.
Provided by LatinaCook
Categories Appetizers and Snacks
Time 50m
Yield 4
Number Of Ingredients 6
Steps:
- Combine the mayonnaise, ketchup, and garlic in a small bowl. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving.
- Heat oil in a deep-fryer or large saucepan to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
- Fry plantain chunks until golden but not browned, 5 to 7 minutes. Drain on a plate lined with paper towels. Allow the plantains to cool slightly, then smash each piece of plantain in a tostonero or with the bottom of a clean can. Fry the flattened plantains a second time until golden and crisp, 5 to 7 minutes more. Season with garlic salt.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 483.6 calories, Carbohydrate 37.4 g, Cholesterol 10.4 mg, Fat 38.8 g, Fiber 2.2 g, Protein 2 g, SaturatedFat 5.5 g, Sodium 576.6 mg, Sugar 20.6 g
Tips:
- Choose green plantains that are firm and have no blemishes.
- Peel the plantains before frying them. To do this, cut off the ends of the plantain and then use a sharp knife to make a lengthwise slit down the side of the plantain. Peel the skin off the plantain in two halves.
- Slice the plantains into 1-inch thick rounds.
- Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the cooking oil and allow it to heat up.
- Fry the plantain rounds in the hot oil for 2-3 minutes per side, or until they are golden brown and crispy.
- Remove the plantain rounds from the skillet and drain them on paper towels.
- Serve the fried green plantains hot with your favorite dipping sauce.
Conclusion:
Fried green plantains are a delicious and versatile side dish that can be enjoyed in many different ways. They are a popular street food in many Latin American countries and can also be found in many restaurants. Fried green plantains can be served with a variety of dipping sauces, such as salsa, guacamole, or sour cream. They can also be used as a topping for tacos, burritos, or other dishes. If you are looking for a new and exciting side dish to try, fried green plantains are a great option.
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