Tostones and Travel
I am off to Antwerp, Belgium this weekend for our ten year class reunion. I am both excited and apprehensive as high school was not exactly a happy time for me.
I will be in Dublin tonight, if anyone is around, should be in the Temple Bar area from 8 onwards. If you're on Twitter or Facebook get my cell phone number there or email me if you're up for meeting up! :)
Before I go I thought I'd leave you with a REALLY easy but tasty recipe, tostones. I first tried tostones when my Mom's Columbian friend Beatriz brought them to a potluck affair at our house. As below she served them with guacamole. Tostones are fairly standard in Central and South America. Plantains look like big bananas but are not as sweet. You can eat them when they are green, yellow or brown! The ones below were fairly ripe and had just started to turn brown. They taste more like potatoes than bananas with a hint of sweetness. In Ireland I have seen them in Green Grocer shops or Asian supermarkets. Give them a try, you won't be disapointed. They would go well with any creamy dip or fruity relish or salsa. I just love them!
2-3 Plantains
Vegetable Oil
Guacamole*
Using a paring knife snip off the ends of the plantains and make a shallow cut lengthwise along the fruit. Use this cut to peel and remove the skin. Slice the plantain into half inch slices.
Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat and fry the plantains 2-3 minutes on each side until slightly brown. Remove to paper towels.
Using a heavy object like the back of a knife, smash the plantains. They should ooze out around the fried section.
Place back in the pan and fry until golden brown and crispy on the outside.
Sprinkle with sea salt and serve as is or with Guacamole.
* I pureed the guacamole for this recipe, as the tostones are quite small and tend to fo better with a puree than chunks!
Right, I'm off to catch a train! :)
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