Bolitas De Plátano Verde Recipes

ASOPAO DE GANDULES CON BOLITAS DE PLáTANO

Steps:

• Mezcla los plátanos y 1/3 del ajo hasta formar una masa blanda. Forma 18 bolitas, usando 1 cda. de la mezcla de plátano para cada una.
• Calienta el aceite a fuego medio en una olla alta de 8 cuartillos de capacidad. Agrega la cebolla, el pimiento, 1/3 taza del cilantro y el ajo restante; cocina 5 min., revolviendo constantemente. Incorpora los gandules (frijoles de palo) y la salsa de tomate; cocina 1 min. Añade el agua y los cubitos de caldo; revuelve y deja que hierva. Agrega la calabaza y las bolitas de plátano; cocina 10 min.
• Añade el arroz, el jamón y las aceitunas; revuelve. Cocina la sopa a fuego medio-bajo, manteniendo un hervor suave 15 min. o hasta que el arroz esté blando. Sírvela con el cilantro restante espolvoreado encima.

GANDULES CON BOLITAS DE PLáTANO (PIGEON PEAS WITH PLANTAIN DUMPLINGS)

Steps:

• Prepare the gandules: Heat oil in a large pot over medium-high. Add sofrito and sauté 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until liquid has evaporated and mixture darkens. Add gandules, vegetable stock, bay leaves and salt, and increase heat to high. Once boiling, lower heat and simmer for 15 minutes.
• While gandules are cooking, prepare the plantain dumplings: Grate or blend plantains in a food processor until smooth or shred them finely on a box grater. Put grated plantains in a medium bowl and add cumin, garlic powder, annatto and salt. Mix well with a fork to incorporate. The mixture will be thick and a little sticky, but the natural starch of the plantain will set up quickly.
• Return the gandules to a rolling simmer. Standing over the pot, scoop out about 1 tablespoon of plantain masa and put directly into the pot. The dumplings will rise immediately to the top. Repeat with the remaining masa, careful to avoid putting fresh dumplings on top of others, until you've used up all of the plantain masa, stirring occasionally to prevent dumplings from sticking to one another.
• Once all the plantain dumplings have been added, lower heat and cook for 2 more minutes, stirring gently a few times. Remove from heat, and adjust salt to taste. Serve as a soup, accompanied by white rice, with avocado slices on the side.

BOLITAS DE PLáTANO VERDE

Steps:

• Se hierven los plátanos durante 7-8 minutos, se aplastan bien los ajos, cuando se hayan cocido los plátanos, se aplastan y se le agrega el ajo, se deja por 5 minutos a que se enfríe un poco, luego se mezcla con el queso crema y se van formando bolitas con la palma de la mano. Para la salsa: en una sartén se sofríe la cebolla con el aceite y cuando esté doradita se le agrega la salsa de tomate y la pimienta al gusto. Se sirve cuando estén frías con la salsa por encima.

CALDO DE BOLAS DE VERDE - GREEN PLANTAIN DUMPLING SOUP

Steps:

• Heat the butter over medium heat in a large pot, make a refrito or base for the broth by adding the diced onions, garlic, tomatoes, bell pepper, cumin, achiote, cilantro, oregano, salt and pepper.
• Add the 10 cups of water/broth, the beef bones, the meat chunks, and plantains pieces.
• Bring to a boil, reduce temperature and simmer for about 30 minutes.
• Add the yuca pieces and continue simmering for another 30 minutes or until the meat is tender.
• Add the carrots, corn and cabbage, cook for another 15 minutes or until all the ingredients are fully cooked.
• Remove from the heat and let cool until safe to handle, then remove the bones from the broth and discard them.
• Remove the meat, carrots, corn and yucas from the broth, leave the plantains in the broth until ready to use them - keeping them in the broth will prevent them from drying out and make it easier to mash them.
• Remove the meat and chop it into very small pieces.
• Cut the cooked carrots into small pieces.
• Remove the strings from the yuca and cut them into small bite size pieces.
• Chop the cooked cabbage and cut the corn in smaller slices; reserve the corn, yuca and cabbage for later.
• To make the meat filling for the green banana balls or dumplings make a refrito or base by heating the butter or oil over medium heat, add the onions, tomatoes, garlic, peppers, cumin, achiote and salt.
• Add the chopped meat, carrots, peas and cilantro.
• Mix in the peanut butter and 4 tbs of the broth, as well as the raisins and hard boiled eggs if using, mix all the ingredients well and save the filling until needed.
• Meanwhile remove the plantains from the broth and mix them in the food processor until a sticky dough is obtained.
• Mix the cooked plantain dough with the grated raw plantains, the eggs and some salt and pepper, you can either mix these by hand or in the food processor.
• Using your hands, try to keep them wet, form the plantain dough into medium to large sized balls, stuff each one with a generous spoonful or two of the meat filling.
• Strain the broth and return to the heat until it boils, reduce to a simmer and add the dumplings, cook over low heat for about 10-15 minutes, be very careful not to stir the soup to avoid breaking the dumplings.
• Using a ladle remove the dumplings from the soup and place them on a plate.
• Add the chopped yuca, chopped cabbage, corn slices and any leftover filling back to the broth, cook until all the ingredients are re-warmed.
• Add the finely chopped cilantro to the broth.
• Place a green plantain dumpling or two in each bowl; add a ladleful of broth with yuca, cabbage and corn.
• Serve with lime slices, aji and pickled onions.