Growing up in South Florida, I took for granted the smorgasbord of Cuban and Caribbean food that was all around me. Although I throughly enjoyed eating ropa vieja and Bahamian conch salad, it didn’t occur to me that these foods would be harder to find elsewhere ::ahem, the Pacific Northwest.:: So, now, as a grown woman missing the tastes of Miami, I’ve taken to recreating my favorite dishes from my youth. These pan fried tostones, made from green plantains, are ridiculously easy to make, and plantains are pretty easy to find too! Paired with a super garlic-y cilantro-garlic sauce, I can almost feel the sunshine.
Tostones Recipe
Tostones
Servings: 4 Servings
Ingredients
- 3 green plantains
- canola oil or other neutral high smoke point oil
- sea salt
- plantain press (tostonera) or a large can
- cilantro-garlic dipping sauce recipe below
Instructions
- To peel the plantains, cut off both ends of the fruit. Then, use the tip of your knife to slice end to end along one of the ridges of the peel, being careful not to cut into the fruit. Remove the peel from the fruit and discard. Once peeled, slice the plantains crossways into 1 inch pieces.
- In a cast iron or heavy bottomed pan, heat 1/8” of oil to 365F over medium-high heat. Fry the plantains flat side down, about 2 minutes per side, until lightly golden. Transfer the plantains to paper towels and allow to cool slightly. Keep the oil hot.
- Use the plantain press or large can to smoosh each piece of plantain (on the flat side) into a disk. Do not try to get them too thin or they will break apart.
- Return the plantains to the 365F oil in batches, and fry about 2 more minutes each side. Drain on paper towels, season with salt, and enjoy hot with cilantro-garlic dipping sauce. Tostones are best eaten right away.
Cilantro-Garlic Sauce Recipe
Cilantro-Garlic Dipping Sauce
Servings: 4 Servings
Ingredients
- 3-4 cloves garlic
- 10-12 sprigs cilantro
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1/8 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp mayonnaise
- 2 + 1/2 tbsp lime juice
- 2 + 1/2 tbsp lemon juice
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients in a food processor and process until cilantro is well broken up. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
Tell me what you think in the comments below!
