How do you use plantain?

[TheSoloChef]

This morning at work a colleague has given me one of these:

I've never cooked with a plaintain before so you've all seen the sorts of meals I've prepared in the past - what do you suggest I do with this?!

 

[Morning Glory]

I think other may be able to help more but here is a very simple recipe which makes something which would go quite well with the sort of food I've seen you cook. I posted it a long time ago...

Recipe - Plantain fritters

 

[Morning Glory]

I should add that the one you show looks green so it will be difficult to peel. See this advice:

Green plantains can’t be peeled like bananas – the skin is liable to come off and leave all the inedible pith on the flesh. This pith won’t cook down, so it needs to be removed. The easiest way to prepare a green plantain is to cut it into chunks and then slice off the skin and pith with a knife. Work on a washable board and make sure you don’t get any sap on yourself. Cook the plantain quickly once you’ve prepared it, as it will start to oxidise. Yellow plantains can usually be peeled like a banana. Whatever colour of plantain you use, cut off both ends, as the flesh is usually tough.

How to cook plantain

The simplest way to cook it is to cut in coin shapes and fry it. Or you could simply boil it. Its a very starchy vegetable (technically a fruit). So use in place of potatoes, for example. I think it needs something to brighten it up as it is rather bland. A spicy sauce is good with it.

 

[karadekoolaid]

A national treasure over here and all across the Caribbean. With the plantain you've got there (green) , typically, we'd make tostones, or patacones: peel the plantain, slice the plantain into 1-1½ " thick rounds, then fry gently on both sides until barely browned. Remove the plantains, and squash the rounds till they're flatter, then fry again until golden brown. Plantain soup is also good.


When the plantains have ripened (yours is still green) you can prepare them baked, stuffed with white cheese, drizzled with cane sugar syrup, or made into a kind of cake, with white cheese.

 

[medtran49]

Plantains

You have to make several lengthwise cuts to peel, and may even have to use a knife to help.

Besides the tostones above, you can also make chips. Very thinly slice, use a mandolin if you have one, and fry until just golden brown.

A nice dip for tostones or the chips is mojo.

Recipe - My Mojo Marinade

For a dip, I would not use the cumin, or halve it, increase the garlic a bit and make like an emulsion by putting everything in the blender except oil, blend to mix, then start adding the oil like you would if making aioli

 

[Fooodie]

I'd just slice them lengthwise, sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar, and then bake until they're soft.

 

[karadekoolaid]

I'd just slice them lengthwise, sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar, and then bake until they're soft.

OK. That sounds like something a Venezuelan might do!
However... would you eat that as a dessert course, or to accompany grilled meat or poultry?

 

[medtran49]

I'd just slice them lengthwise, sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar, and then bake until they're soft.

OK. That sounds like something a Venezuelan might do!
However... would you eat that as a dessert course, or to accompany grilled meat or poultry?

There's a Cuban dish like that, except it uses a medium ripe to ripe plantain. It's served as a side, but is more of a dessert to me personally. Believe I mentioned it in the thread linked above.

 

[karadekoolaid]

There's a Cuban dish like that, except it uses a medium ripe to ripe plantain. It's served as a side,

Yep, that's what I thought - medium to ripe (sugar, but definitely no cinnamon). I don't think it'd work with a green plantain.