March 6th, 2012
Eating Tostones in Rehoboth Beach, Plantains, Recipe, Fried Plantains, Latin, Comfort Food
I have to laugh because when I think of comfort food, I have to add tostones (plantains) to that list. In Puerto Rico, having tostones is part of everyday eating. I have written about them in the past. If you click on the month of June of 2010 on this website, and scroll down to the 28th, you will see them there, as well.
When I go to my supermarket, Giant, in Rehoboth Beach, you can find plantains right along the bananas. They are part of that family, except with more starch and less sugar.
Going through the cash register I sometines get asked; what do you do with them? The explanation follows like; peel, slice, fry, mash and fry again. Eyebrows go up and that’s pretty much it…intimidation, definitely.
I don’t have a tostonera. That’s the easier way of smashing the plantain after you fry them. I do have a pilon, though. This is the mortar and pestle. It is pretty much indispensable in Latin cooking.
The plantains for tostones need to be green. The easiest way to peel them is to cut both ends, put in the microwave for 1 minute, regardless of the size. Take out carefully. With a knife make long slits on the skin of the plantain and then peel.
Cut the plantains in about 1 inch slices. Some people soak them in salted water; don’t bother with that.
Put them in the very hot oil in a deep frying pan and fry until they have a nice golden color.
Take out and place on paper towels to drain.
The next step takes you to the smashing part. I told you I don’t have a tostonera, so I use a long piece of wax paper, folded in half. Place a piece of plantain in between the two pieces of wax paper and with a plate smash it. With a spatula pick it up and put it back on the paper towel until you finish with all the fried pieces. It does not take long, believe me.
After that just let them stay on the paper towel until you finish with your “Mojito”. You thought it was the drink, right? No, no; it is a sauce for the tostones.
In the mortar, mash a garlic clove. Add salt and pepper to taste. About 2 tablespoons of olive oil, mix it all in. Then add about 1/2 cup of tomato sauce, 2 tablespoons of cilantro, the juice of one lime and a few dashes of Tabasco. All this can be done to taste…a little bit of this or a little bit of that.
Now is time to fry the smashed plantains or tostones again. In the very hot oil place them in and cook until they come to the surface, turn them over and continue cooking until they are very golden; watch them so they don’t burn.
Put them back to drain, arrange on a platter, pass the Mojito.
Note: Butter and garlic powder or salt on top are another way they are eaten in my household.
I love them thin and crispy but soft in the inside…..talk to you later…Buen Provecho!!
Tags: Fried Plantains, Latin Comfort Food, Latin Cooking, Moderate, Mojito, Plantains, Puerto Rican cooking, Recipe, tostones
Fruits are like the comfort foods..They are type of foods that can be ate at any place..Thankyou for the post…