March 6th, 2012
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!!
June 28th, 2010
I was in the mood for some comfort food. I think if you ask anyone from Puerto Rico they will probably tell you that they consider “tostones” their comfort food.
Off to Giant, our local supermaket, I went and they did have plantains. I needed them green for the “tostones”. I don’t think there is a translation for “tostones”.
Plantains are from the same family as the bananas. They are a starch and they do have less sugar than the bananas.
The easiest way to peel the plantains is by cutting the tips on each end. Then, place the plantains in the microwave for 1 minute. Make a slice with a knife, lengthwise, just on the skin and peel it back. Cut the plantains in one inch chunks and place them in a bowl of water with a teaspoon of salt. I like my “tostones” thin so that’s why I gave you that measurement.
Drain the plantains and in a deep fryer or deep frying pan put enough Canola oil to submerge the plantain chunks. Fry them until they are golden.
Place them to drain on paper towels. Yes, it is too bad that they need to be fried but I am telling you, that’s why they are so good.
The next step is to flaten them. All you need is waxed paper and a plate. Put one chunk at a time in between the wax paper and flaten it with a plate. Continue to do so until all pieces are flatened. Believe it or not, it really does not take long.
Back again into the frying pan. Fry them until they reach a very deep golden color. They will rise to the surface of the oil. Drain again on paper towels.
Some people just eat them as a side dish and others like them as a snack. Some put just butter on top and a bit of garlic powder and some, like me, make a Mojo.
Yes, the Mojo really came before the alcoholic Mojito. It is one of those sauces made in a Pilon (Mortar and Pestle), if you have one. If not, then improvise. Garlic and salt are the first condiments of my Mojo. Then mash with the pestle. Add about 3 tablespoons of olive oil, mixing everything in. Then add a small can of tomato sauce, the juice of a half a lime, cilantro to taste, pepper, and a dash of Tabasco or more. The measurements are not exact, as you can tell by the way I am writing. Some times I think it needs a little more lime, or maybe more cilantro so you will probably have to make this recipe your own.
The Mojo is a sauce used for a lot of dishes. I was making some shrimp with onion, peppers, olive oil, a little bit of butter. I just sauteed all the vegies and at the last minute the medium shrimp went in and cooked until nice and pink. I added some of that Mojo to give it a nice sauce.
I had gone to Tomato Sunshine and got really pretty tomatoes. Once summer starts giving us good tomatoes then I love to make mayonnaise. You wonder why? Well, it is homemade and delicious.
Homemade Mayonnaise
2 egg yolks
1/2 tsp. dry mustard
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 cups salad oil
Aple Cider Vinegar
Dash of Worcestershire Sauce
Dash of Tabasco
In a small bowl put mustard, salt and egg yolks. Mix together with a mixer on low speed. Then add oil, 1 tsp. at a time a t first, mixing well after each addition. For the first 1/4 cup be sure to add only a little at a time.
As the mixture thickens, thin with 1 tsp. vinegar. Keep mixing with the mixer.
After 1/4 cup of oil, you may add the oil a little faster. The first additions of oil make the emulsion. If by any chance it separates during this time, take another egg yolk in another bowl and start over. After you get this well started, you can add the old separated mixture to it. I don’t think you will have any problems.
When mayonnaise is finished, add a dash of Worcestershire and a dash of Tabasco to taste.
Enjoy and make it your own.
Talk to you later…..as usual….
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