Plantains Por Favor!

Being that I am of Caribbean descent, Puerto Rican to be more precise, I am often asked about one of my dietary staples, the plantain.

Plantains are similar to its smaller cousin, the banana but are in my opinion much more versatile. They can be cooked ripened or unripened, their flavor varying greatly depending on its stage in maturity.

Plantains are a huge part of my gastronomy. I quite honestly don't understand how so many can go on without knowing of their goodness! Hopefully this will inspire you to let them into your diet, as there are so many ways to eat them, you would be foolish not to.

Here are some of the most common, and most delicious ways to eat a plantain.

Pasteles - Pasteles are similar to tamales in the way that they are prepared. These are made with a puree of unripened plantain, that is laid of a sheet of wax paper and/or banana leaf, stuffed with meat and then wrapped and tied together with string. These are then cooked in boiling water. To me, and most Puerto Ricans, eating a pastel or "pasteles" as we call them most often (can't have just one) is synonymous with the Christmas holiday.

Mofongo- A savory dish also made with unripened plantains. Here plantains are first cut into medium pieces then deep fried, then finally molded into a "pilón" or wooden mortar. A stew then fills the mortar. This is often made of seafood, chicken or pork.

Mangu- Arguably a Dominican dish, this is one of the simplest ways to prepare a plantain. Unripened plantains are boiled and then pureed, often butter and garlic is added.

Pastelón- My all-time favorite way to eat plantains. Pastelón is very structurally similar to lasagna. Sweet plantains are fried into long strips that are layered between lots of cheese and ground beef.

Amarillos Fritos or Maduros - The most popular way to eat plantains is by simply peeling an over-ripened plantain cutting into 3/4 inch pieces and deep frying.

Tostones- Unripened plantains are fried, flattened and fried again: the result is a crunchy yet satisfying side dish or snack strong enough to scoop up anything on your plate.

Plantain chips- Becoming increasingly popular, a great alternative to potato chips. These are thin, crispy- whether store bought or homemade.

There really are countless ways to eat a plantain, and I'm sure as soon as I post this more will come to mind.

Look out - I'll be adding recipes for each of these. You owe it to yourself to give them a shot.

Frititas De Calabaza or Calabaza Squash Fritters

I made these on my own tonight, for the very first time. Growing up I used to beg my mother to make them. She always hesitated a bit, being that they are fried, they were considered a treat. I couldn't get enough...and truth be told, I still can't.

These are super easy to make. The hardest part may actually be getting the calabaza itself. Which, although I call "pumpkin" (today I realized "calabaza" seems to be used interchangeably to mean both squash and pumpkin in Spanish), most people know it as either calabaza squash, as it was labeled at the market or west indian squash.

To me, the many aliases just say that just about everyone that tastes this squash wants to have a dear, pet name for it, because it is just that tasty.

These fritters aren't traditionally served as a desert, but just top with some powdered sugar, or just a dab of whipped cream and they are as decadent as any traditional sweet treat.

My favorite way to eat these before a meal, or accompanying a savory dish where the contrast can really accentuate their sweetness.

Very few ingredients are needed:

2 cups pureed Calabaza
1 cup Flour
1/4 cup Milk
3 tablespoons Sugar
1 tablespoon Cinnamon
Vegetable Oil (for frying)

You'll most likely find this at the market fresh, in which case you will need to wash and remove all seeds. This can easily be done with a spoon. Don't worry about peeling the calabaza, the skin is much easier to remove once this has been boiled (and also makes for a tasty treat- just add a little butter and some cinnamon-sugar mixture). Cut the calabaza into medium chunks and place in boiling water. Boil until very soft.

Using a hand mixer puree the calabaza until relatively smooth- there should be no large lumps, but it is very fibrous in texture, so it will not be completely smooth. Mix in flour, milk, sugar, cinnamon.

Using a pan, heat vegetable oil at medium fire. Pour enough oil so that it is about an inch away from the bottom of the pan. Use a spoon to dollop mixture onto the pan. Each fritter should be just about covered by the hot oil. Keep at medium heat. Turn after about a minute on each side or until golden brown. Makes about 10 fritters.

The Best Hot Chocolate

I love drinking hot chocolate late at night- right before bed, when my tummy doesnt quite want to go to sleep, warm milk seems to put all my parts in agreement- and no one can argue with a little chocolate. Never one with a sweet tooth, I found a way to bring more earthy flavors and a bit of a kick to my hot chocolate. So this is how I make my favorite:

Start off with:

2.5 cups of skim milk
2 heaping tablespoons of unsweetented chocolate powder
1 tablespoon of sugar (to taste)
1 teaspoon of cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon of chili powder

Heat milk in a medium saucepan until steaming, keep fire at med-low. Slowly stir in unsweetened chocolate powder, stirring away any lumps. Add the sugar, cinnamon and chili powder. (serves 2)