Conference turris::cooks

    Plantain Chips
    --------------
    
    Plantains are a type of banana that don't taste anything like what
    we think of as a banana.  They are very firm with green (sometimes
    marked with black stripes) stringy peels.  Plantains are ripe when
    the peel is deep green or the ends of the bananas can be pinched
    without peeling them.  If you don't care for bananas (abhore them,
    is my feeling), try these!  They don't taste like bananas but they
    carry all the potasium of the yellow type.
    
    Plantains MUST be cooked before eating.  They are served usually
    one of two ways:
    
    Boiled Plantains
    ----------------
    
    Peel plantains (about 2 servings per banana) using knife just to
    start peel.  (Peeling under water keeps hands from blackening.)
     << WARNING!!  Don't put peels in disposal!  They're too tough! >>
    Cut bananas into about 1" chunks.
    Boil for 15 mins until banana softens.
    Serve on top of hot cereal, tossed in butter, or stir fry lightly
    in vegetable oil.
    
    Plantain Chips
    --------------
    
    Slice raw, peeled fruit VERY thin (use food processor), like potato
    chips.
    Soak slices in cold water in refridgerator for 2 hours, changing
    water once or twice.
    Heat vegetable/nut oil mix (2 parts corn to 1 part peanut is good)
    in heavy pan or deep fryer (nut oil has higher flaming temperature).
    Slide individual slices into hot oil.  Oil is hot enough when chip
    edges brown in roughly 3 mins.
    Turn slices and fry another 3-4 mins.
    Remove to strainer or absorbent cloth and salt lightly.
                              
    Chips stay fresh in sealed bag/container for about 1 week; 3 weeks
    in refridgerator.
    
    
    
    

And then there is the Tostone (the Puerto Rican French Fry):

Cut the plantain into one inch segments and boil till slightly softened.  
Drain and pat dry.  Smash each segment so that it is about 1/2" thick and 2-3" 
in diameter.  Deep fry till golden brown.

    My understanding has always been that plantains are ripe when they have
    turned completely black (learned from my mother who learned to cook
    them in Colombia and from growing up in Miami). They are usually still
    green (unripe) when I buy them because they have been picked this way
    to protect them during shipping. I keep them on the kitchen counter
    (unwrapped so they don't get moldy) until they've turned yellow and
    then black. At this point, they are more tender and sweeter than when
    they are green. They are also easier to peel. You may still need a
    knife to peel them in some areas, but can just pull the skin off in
    others. 

    One of my two favorite ways to prepare platanos (or plantains) is
    to
    
    - split the fruit lengthwise 
    - place it in a buttered baking dish 
    - place a few bits of unsalted butter on top and sprinkle with a very
    little bit of brown sugar 
    - then bake the fruit 'til it's tender 
    
    You don't need much sugar because baking the platanos brings out
    the natural sweetness in them.
    
    Another way I like to cook platanos is to
    
    - slice the peeled fruit crosswise into 1/4" to 3/8" slices
    - panfry the slices in a little bit of unsalted butter (you can
    use oil, but the butter adds a good flavor - sometimes I use a
    combination of a little oil and a little butter for flavor if I
    want to worry about cholesterol)
    - cook the slices at a medium low temperature because you want the
    fruit to cook thoroughly before it starts to brown - overall cooking
    time is very short
    - let the slices brown a bit, turning them so both sides brown
    - eat and enjoy!
    
    Again, cooking the plantains brings out the sweetness in them. I
    love to serve them with chicken or fish. They're great with sweet
    and sour dishes, spicy dishes, or curry as a somewhat sweet accompaniment.

Mofongo (at least I think that's the way to spell it) is made from green 
plantain that is cut into 1 inch slices, peeled and fried slightly to soften.  
Then the softened plantain is mashed in a large wooden mortar with LOTS of 
garlic (having watched someone make it once, it looked like about 75-25 
plantain-garlic!).  The resulting mash is formed into balls, and dropped into 
chicken broth and served immediately.  This is often served with small bits 
of crispy fried pork on the side.

Warning!  One or two of these balls will, upon entering your stomach, swell up 
to fill all the available space.  The end result is a great garlicky tasting, 
very cheap, VERY FILLING hot meal.

						     
							- JP

>>	Can you substitute red bananas for plantains?

not the same thing.  The banana is treated as a fruit while the
plantain should be treated as a vegetable.  Plaintains look like green, large
bananas.  Peel and deep fry them.  Fry in peanut oil or other oil that
can withstand frying temperatures.  Fry until nicely browned.  Drain on paper
towel.  Serve immediately.  Once fried, plantains can also be added to certain
Carribean and Puerto Rican dishes, but I do not have the recipes.  Maybe the
frug's new cookbook is already out?

    I have been letting them ripen and then peeling and slicing on an
    angle.  Cover the slices with a piece of wax paper and flatten
    slightly.  I then oil a piece of foil with olive oil, and place the slices
    on the foil moving them around a little to spread the oil evenly. 
    Place this on your barbecue grill and cook each side until nicely
    browned. Move them frequently as they will stick a little.   Delicious.
    
    Flo

    As I remember from many support trips to Puerto Rico, you can slice the
    green ones about 1" thick.  Fry them slightly, drain, let cool, then
    standing them on the cut side, flatten them to about 1/3" thick.  Fry
    till golden and serve like a potato chip.  They are called tostones.
    
    I also had the green ones fried slightly and mashed into a coarse paste
    with COPIOUS amounts of garlic.  This is formed into balls and served
    in chicken broth.  It's called Mofongo (which sounds a lot like
    somebody just insulted you in Italian).  I call it Puerto Rican Matso
    Ball soup.  Warning!!! each ball expands to 25 times its original size
    after being eaten!!!
    
    I also had ripe plaintains pan fried in butter/oil until soft and nicely
    browned.  These are sweet, but still were served as a veggie dish with
    dinner.  The place called them "amarillos", which means "yellow".

    Thanks for the suggestions.
    
    Linda

    
      How do you know when they ripen? I've only seen them green in the
    stores. Do they turn yellow like a banana? Bright yellow, yellow-green
    brown or what?
       robin

    They turn yellow and even blacken.  I have a real blackened one in the
    fridge right now.  I decided to put it there because I needed to stop
    the ripening.  I'll grill it tonight.  My SO likes salt on them but you
    can also use sugar.  I eat them without plain.
    
    Flo

	I just fry them in peanut oil and a couple of table spoons of butter.
	Treat them just the same way as potatoes.  They are great when served
	with some B-B-Q'ed Fire Meat and veggies!!	

    I always used to fry them, but lately I've been either baking or
    broiling them.  Make sure they're very ripe (skin will be almost
    black and you'll be tempted to throw them out!).  Just slice lengthwise
    about 1/4 to 3/8" thick, and lay them out on a baking sheet sprayed
    with Pam.  Bake at 375 for about 20 minutes, flipping them halfway
    through.  Or broil for about 10 minutes, also flipping halfway through.
    I'm not sure about the time, just cook until they look done.
    
    I have a recipe at home for "pin~on", it's WONDERFUL.  Like a lasagne,
    with plantains on the bottom and top layers, and spiced up ground beef
    and a layer of french cut green beans in the middle.  Delicious with
    white rice!  First time I made it for my husband, he made faces while
    I was preparing it and said it didn't look like anything he would
    crave, but let me tell you, we had NO LEFTOVERS!  He loves it!
    
    I'll post the recipe when I get a chance ...
    
    Bibi

    	Hokay,for someone who doesn't know what plantains are,can you please 
    tell me some more about them.....what are they,what do they look like,
    what do they taste like,are they available in the U.K.???
    
    curious
    
    Kevin
    

	I found plantains at IdleWilde this weekend. I'll try them as
soon as they get ripe.

Linda

	From the "JERK, Jamaican Barbeque" cookbook by Helen Willinsky

	We in the islands cannot live without plantains.  They are eaten
	at every stage of maturity from green to ripe. In Jamaica, green
	plantains are fried and eaten as chips. We eat "turn" (partially 
	ripe) plantains boiled in soup. Ripe plantains, which are black 
	in color and may look rotten to the uninformed, are either baked or
	fried and served as a side dish, or made into a desert called 
	plantain tarts.  The green to yellow plantains that you will see
	in the supermarket are not fully ripe.  No problem ! Buy them as 
	they are, take them home, and wrap them in newspaper for 4 to 5
	days, by which time they should be much softer. Never ever put them
	in the refridgerator, as this will alter their flavor. With this
	little message I hope that the next time you encounter a plantain
	in your local market, you will pick it up and take it with you.
	Bake it or fry it; that is island eating!

	Fried Plantains

	2 Lbs ripe (black) plantains
	1/4 cup vegetable oil
	1 tbsp butter (Optional, but I find that it makes the plantain 
	  taste even more delicious)

	Cut each plantain lengthwise into 4 thick strips; then peel; or
	cut into quarters, then peel and cut on the diagonal to make 1
	inch rounds. In a very heavy skillet, heat the oil and then add
	the butter. Add some plantain slices. (Be careful not to add too
	many slices at the same time, as this will lower the temperature
	of the oil.) Fry for about 1 1/2 minutes per side, or until golden
	brown, turning once.  As they brown, transfer the pieces to paper 
	towels to absorb whatever traces of oil they may have retained.
	Serve hot: Yields 4 to 6 servings.

				* - *

	Baked Plantains

	2 Yellow plantains with black flecks

	Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Oil a baking sheet. Peel the 
	plantains, leaving one strip of skin.  Cut the plantains in thirds
	crosswise.  Place them skin side down on the baking sheet. Bake for
	35 to 40 minutes, or until soft. Cool, completely peel the skin, 
	and slice the plantains lengthwise.  These can be served warm or 
	at room temperature.  Yields 6 servings.

				* - *

	Plantain Tarts

	3 very ripe, black plantains
	1/2 cup sugar
	1/4 to 1/2 tsp nutmeg
	1/4 tsp vanilla extract or to taste
	red food coloring (optional)
	sugar for garnish
	Double recipe 9-inch Pie crust dough (follows this recipe)

	Peel the plantains. Boil in water to cover until tender, about 
	15 minutes.  Drain and mash until they are smooth.  Add the 1/2
	cup sugar, nutmeg, vanilla, and a drop or two of red food color.
	
	Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Prepare the pie crust dough 
	according to the recipe directions. Roll out the pastry, and use 
	a saucer or small plate to cut out 8 circles, each 4 to 5 inches
	in diameter.

	Divide the plantain mix into 8 portions and place one portion
	on half of each of the pie dough circles. Fold the other half over
	to form a half circle, then crimp the edges with a fork.  Sprinkle
	with sugar as a garnish.  Bake on ungreased cookie sheets in the 
	preheated oven for 35-40 minutes. Remove from the baking sheets and
	cool on wire racks.  Serve hot or cool.

	9 inch pie crust recipe:

	1 cup all-purpose flour
	1/2 tsp salt
	1/3 cup solid vegetable shortening
	3 tbsp ice water

	Sift together the flour and the salt. Cut the shortening into the 
	flour mixture with a pastry blender or 2 knives. Keep cutting until
	the particles are about the size of dried peas.  

	Add the water gradually, a few drops at a time, tossing the dough
	lightly with a fork to be sure that the water is distributed 
	evenly.  Gather the dough together to form a ball. Handle the dough
	as little as possible after adding the water. This will help keep
	it flaky and tender.

	To make into a pie shell, roll out the dough on a lightly floured
	surface, forming a circle about 12 inches in diameter. Carefully
	transfer the dough to a 9 inch pie pan.  Trim away any excess dough,
	and crimp the edges.  To bake unfilled, preheat the oven to 450
	degrees. Prick the pie shell all over with a fork, and fill the 
	bottom of the shell with dry beans.  Bake in the preheated oven for 
	about 8 minutes. Remove the beans, and bake for an additional
	2 to 4 minutes, or until the pie shell is evenly browned. Cool
	before filling.


	Well, that's it, hope you find these helpful with plantain 
	adventures.

	Regards, Larry

    This one's always a hit with my stepson!
    
    Take 2 or 3 *green* plantains.  Chop off ends, the remove skin by 
    cutting a slit lengthwise just through the skin, then prying it loose 
    with your thumbs.  Cut plantain into 1" "wheels".  Fry in a skillet
    with oil, turning once, until they're just very lightly done.  Remove
    and drain on a paper towel.
    
    Now here's the fun part.  One at a time, place the "wheels" between 
    two pieces of aluminum foil, and using a small plate, squash the 
    plantain till it's a big chip about 1/4 - 3/8" thick.  You can also
    purchase a gadget, in Spanish it's called a "tostonera" (sorry, don't 
    know what it's called in English, maybe some kind of press?), it's
    made out of wood, you put in the plantain and fold the tostonera in
    half, and out comes your big chip.
    
    Anyway, put the chips back in the skillet and fry again (turning once)
    until golden brown.  Remove and drain on a paper towel.
    
    "Tostones" are delicious plain, with a little salt, or with ketchup.
    
    -Bibi
    

    Hey Bibi, do you think you could make those for Dorie and I sometime?
    
    Kevin

    FOR THE FRIED PLANTAINS THE BEST SAUCE IS CHOPPED GARLIC,OLIVE OIL,AND
    A LITLLE BED OF VINEGAR.DIP THE FRIED PLANTAINS.WHILE YOU EATING THEM.
    THEY ARE  DELISIOSOS Y SABROSOS,THESE MEAN VERRY GOOD.

    I would also like to know about the sauce.  My best friend buys them in
    a spanish restaurant/take out.  He says they are sweet naturally, 
    but they look as though they are in a brownish sugar/butter sauce.  
    Could this be?  He says no, but I am not sure. 
    
    Anyone know?
    
    Flo 

    Bibi,
    
    I sure would like to get the recipe for pin~on.
    
    tx, mj