Tostones, also known as twice-fried plantains, are a crispy and savory snack or side dish with origins in Latin American and Caribbean cuisines. These golden-brown treats are made from green plantains, a type of large, starchy banana, sliced and flattened before being fried twice. The result is a crispy exterior and a soft, tender interior that can be enjoyed on their own or accompanied by various dips, sauces, and toppings. In this article, we'll explore two irresistible tostones recipes: the classic tostones and a variation featuring a garlicky mojo sauce for an extra burst of flavor. Whether you're a tostones aficionado or trying them for the first time, these recipes will guide you through the process of creating this delectable dish in the comfort of your own kitchen.
Here are our top 6 tried and tested recipes!
TOSTONES (POTATOES)
In eighteenth-century Mexico and California, a toston was a silver doubloon worth fifty cents. These are round slices of potato in chile sauce named after these silver coins. Although the recipe calls for baking the potatoes, I precooked my potatoes in the microwave by piercing them with a fork and cooking on high for about 5 minutes which really cut back on the prep time. From Rancho Cooking: Mexican and Californian Cooking.
Provided by cookiedog
Categories Potato
Time 1h10m
Yield 6 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 14
Steps:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Bake the potatoes for at least 45 minutes. Allow them to cool so you can easily peel and cut them into 1/4 inch slices. Heat the oil in a 10-inch cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Brown the slices of potatoes, turning frequently. Meanwhile, prepare the gravy.
- Chile Gravy: Heat the additional 2 tablespoons oil in another skillet and blend in the flour. Cook until the flour is golden to make a roux, then stir in the garlic. Cook for just 1 minute. Add the cumin and oregano. Remove skillet from the heat.
- Combine the chile powder and water in a medium bowl, whisking until well blended. Add the chicken broth. Whisk this chile mixture into the flour roux. Place the skillet back over medium heat, and whisk the sauce to keep it smooth. Add the vinegar and salt and simmer for at least 15 minutes until the gravy thickens.
- To Serve the Tostones: arrange the potatoes in a shallow casserole or in 6 individual bowls and drizzle the gravy over the top. Garnish with the cheese and minced green onions, if desired.
SMASHED AND FRIED POTATOES
As enjoyable as pounding the lights out of an innocent garlic clove or olive may be, probably the most satisfying flat food to prepare are these smashed and fried potatoes from Susan Spungen, which draw in part from a technique used to make tostones. You steam baby potatoes until they're just tender, let them cool enough to be handled, then press them between your palms until they flatten a bit and you hear their skins begin to snap. Next, you heat up some oil in a skillet and fry the potatoes until they're nice and brown on their flat sides. Each potato is then crisp and caramelized but still moist inside.
Provided by Amanda Hesser
Categories easy, side dish
Time 45m
Yield 6 servings
Number Of Ingredients 4
Steps:
- Place a steamer basket in a large pot filled with an inch of water and add the potatoes and salt. Cover and bring to a boil over medium heat. Steam until the potatoes are just tender when pierced with a paring knife, about 25 minutes. (Don't overcook: they won't hold together when flattened.) Remove the basket and let the potatoes cool enough to be handled.
- Gently squeeze the potatoes, one at a time, between your palms so that they flatten slightly but remain in one piece (some will break, but they can still be used). Pour 1/4 inch of oil into a medium frying pan set over medium-high heat. Add the potatoes in batches to avoid crowding, and fry on both sides until crisp and browned, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Drain on a plate lined with paper towels. Arrange on a platter and sprinkle with sea salt.
Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 135, UnsaturatedFat 2 grams, Carbohydrate 26 grams, Fat 2 grams, Fiber 3 grams, Protein 3 grams, SaturatedFat 0 grams, Sodium 356 milligrams, Sugar 1 gram
CRISPY BAKED TOSTONES
Learn how to make crispy tostones (baked, not fried) with this foolproof recipe! Tostones, which are made with unripe green plantains, are deliciously savory and salty. Recipe yields 4 to 6 servings; you could likely double the recipe by using two baking sheets in the upper and lower thirds of the oven.
Provided by Cookie and Kate
Categories Snack or Side
Time 45m
Number Of Ingredients 4
Steps:
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a large, rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper to prevent sticking.
- To prepare the plantains: Here's a helpful video. Slice off both ends of each plantain. Use the tip of a paring knife to cut through the skin of a plantain from top to bottom, following the curve of the plantain as you go. You want to slice just deep enough to cut through the skin (less than 1/4 inch deep)-you'll get the feel of it as you go. Repeat twice more on the plantain so you have three evenly-spaced slits. Use your fingers or a spoon, angled downward, to pry off each section. Discard the skins and repeat for the remaining plantains. Slice the plantains into 1-inch thick rounds, then set aside.
- On the prepared baking sheet, toss the sliced plantains with 2 tablespoons of the oil. Disperse them evenly across the pan, flat sides down. Bake for 15 minutes, then place the pan on a heat-safe surface.
- Using the bottom of a glass liquid measuring cup (or mason jar or other sturdy glass), gently press straight down on one round to achieve about 1/4-inch thickness. Repeat for each round.
- Brush the tops of each round with oil, making sure to get into all the nooks and crannies. Flip them and brush the other sides (you may need to use just a bit more than 2 tablespoons oil here). Sprinkle the salt over the rounds.
- Return the pan to the oven and bake for 14 to 17 minutes, until nicely golden and sizzling. Season with additional salt, to taste. Serve warm with dipping sauce, if desired.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 190 calories, Sugar 13.4 g, Sodium 106.9 mg, Fat 9.4 g, SaturatedFat 1.2 g, TransFat 0 g, Carbohydrate 28.5 g, Fiber 2.1 g, Protein 1.2 g, Cholesterol 0 mg
PUERTO RICAN TOSTONES (FRIED PLANTAINS)
Crispy fried plantains. A plantain is a very firm banana. Serve as side dish with your meal or as appetizers.
Provided by Lymari
Categories 100+ Everyday Cooking Recipes Vegetarian Side Dishes
Time 20m
Yield 2
Number Of Ingredients 4
Steps:
- Peel the plantain and cut it into 1-inch chunks.
- Heat the oil in a large skillet. Place the plantains in the oil and fry on both sides,; approximately 3 1/2 minutes per side.
- Remove the plantains from the pan and flatten the plantains by placing a plate over the fried plantains and pressing down.
- Dip the plantains in water, then return them to the hot oil and fry 1 minute on each side. Salt to taste and serve immediately.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 135.7 calories, Carbohydrate 28.5 g, Fat 3.3 g, Fiber 2.1 g, Protein 1.2 g, SaturatedFat 0.5 g, Sodium 14.2 mg, Sugar 13.4 g
POTATO "TOSTONES" RECIPE
Provided by cacelias
Number Of Ingredients 4
Steps:
- Fill a large saucepan or stockpot with 1-2 inches of water. Place a collapsible vegetable steamer basket in the pan and place the potatoes in the basket. Add the kosher salt, cover, and bring to a boil. Steam over medium heat until the potatoes are just tender when pierced with the tip of a paring knife, about 25 minutes. Be careful not to overcook or they won't hold together when smashed. Drain and set aside until cool enough to handle. Carefully flatten the potatoes by gently squeezing them, one at a time, between the palms of your hands so that they flatten slightly but remain in one piece; some potatoes will inevitably break but they can still be used. Pour about 1/4 inch of the oil in a medium frying pan and heat over medium-high heat until hot. You can test to see if the oil is ready by placing a piece of potato in to see if it sizzles, or by dipping the handle of a wooden spoon in the oil. When the oil is hot, bubbles will quickly form and rise around the spoon Fry the potatoes until they are crisp and brown on the first side, 4-6 minutes. Turn the potatoes with tongs and brown the other side, 4-6 minutes. Depending on the size of the potatoes and the pan, this may need to be done in 2-3 batches. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towels to drain. Arrange on a platter and sprinkle with coarse sea salt. Keep warm in the oven while frying the rest. *To flatten the potatoes, place one in your palm, cover with your other palm as if you were going to clap your hands or make a snowball. Use firm pressure to flatten the potato until the edges crack and it is about half its former thickness. Don't try to flatten the potato completely.
TOSTONES
A staple dish throughout the Caribbean and Latin America, tostones are crisp, flattened plantains that are often served as appetizers and side dishes. Unlike sweet maduros, which are made with very ripe, almost black, yellow plantains, savory tostones are made with unripe green plantains. Tostones are fried twice: The first fry sears the cut sides of the plantains, establishing a base layer of color; the second fry ensures that every edge is golden and crunchy. Tostoneras, wooden tools designed to create the perfect tostone shape, come in handy here, but a flat-bottomed cup will do just fine in its place.
Provided by Kiera Wright-Ruiz
Categories finger foods, appetizer, side dish
Time 10m
Yield 3 to 4 servings
Number Of Ingredients 3
Steps:
- Trim and discard the ends of the plantains. Use a paring knife to cut a slit along the length of the plantain to easily remove the peel, carefully avoiding cutting into the flesh. If the peel is too firm, use a spoon to lift the edges, then discard the peel. Slice the plantain crosswise into 1-inch rounds (about 8 pieces per plantain).
- In a large skillet, heat about 1/8-inch vegetable oil over medium. When the oil shimmers, add the plantains, flat-side down. Fry until beginning to turn golden, about 1 minute per side.
- While keeping the heat on, transfer plantains to a cutting board. Working with one piece at a time, use a tostonera or large flat-bottomed cup to gently press each plantain to about 1/2-inch thick. (If using a cup, keep it as centered as possible to flatten the plantains evenly.)
- Working in batches if necessary to avoid crowding the pan, pan-fry the flattened plantains until golden-brown, 1 to 2 minutes per side.
- Using a slotted spoon, transfer tostones to a paper towel-lined plate to drain. While hot, season with salt to taste. Serve immediately.
Tips:
- Choose the right potatoes: Yukon Gold or all-purpose potatoes are best.
- Boil the potatoes until they are fork-tender but not mushy.
- Let the potatoes cool slightly before mashing them.
- Use a potato ricer or food mill to get smooth mashed potatoes.
- Season the mashed potatoes with salt, pepper, and garlic powder.
- Form the mashed potatoes into balls, then flatten them into patties.
- Pan-fry the tostones in hot oil until they are golden brown and crispy.
- Serve the tostones with your favorite dipping sauce.
Conclusion:
Tostones are a simple but delicious dish that can be enjoyed as a snack or as part of a meal. They are crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside, and they can be seasoned with a variety of spices and herbs. Whether you serve them with a dipping sauce or on their own, tostones are sure to be a hit.
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