Cuban Fried Green Plantains Tostones Cubanos Recipes

FRIED GREEN PLANTAINS (TOSTONES DE PLATANO VERDE)

Steps:

• Preheat oil in a fryer or Dutch oven to 365 degrees F.
• Peel the plantains and cut into 1-inch pieces. Place into preheated oil and fry for 5 minutes or until they begin to brown. Drain them on a paper-towel lines plate. Flatten them using a Tostonera or the bottom of a metal can and fry again at 385 degrees F for approximately 3 minutes. Drain again and sprinkle with salt and Garlic Mojo. For softer fried plantains, soak for a few minutes in salted water after the first fry, drain and fry again.
• Chop up the garlic very thinly or crush using a mortar and pestle or food processor with the salt to form a thick paste. In a mixing bowl, combine the garlic paste and juice, and let the mixture sit at room temperature for 30 minutes or longer.

PUERTO RICAN TOSTONES (FRIED PLANTAINS)

Steps:

• Peel the plantain and cut it into 1-inch chunks.
• Heat the oil in a large skillet. Place the plantains in the oil and fry on both sides,; approximately 3 1/2 minutes per side.
• Remove the plantains from the pan and flatten the plantains by placing a plate over the fried plantains and pressing down.
• Dip the plantains in water, then return them to the hot oil and fry 1 minute on each side. Salt to taste and serve immediately.

TOSTONES (FRIED PLANTAINS)

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a heavy skillet over medium heat. Place a few plantain slices in the oil, and cook until lightly golden in color, about three minutes. Drain on paper towels. Repeat with the remaining slices.
• While the plantain slices are still warm, place them one at a time between two sheets of wax paper, and flatten by hand to 1/4 inch thick. Return flattened slices to the skillet, and continue frying until golden brown. Drain on paper towels, and season with salt and garlic powder.

CUBAN FRIED GREEN PLANTAINS ( TOSTONES CUBANOS)

Steps:

• Peel green plantains. To Peel plantains run the tip of a small steak knife down the seams of the plantain from the top all the way to the bottom. Do all the seams this way. There is usually three or four seams to a plantain. After slitting the seams with the knife stick the tip under the seam and start to pry up the peel with your finger work your way under the peel pushing further and further under the peel of the plantain. It will start to give very easly as you work your finger under the peel. Remove the whole piece. Go to the next seam and do the same thing until you have removed all three or four peels. Now cut plantains into 1 inch chunks.
• Heat oil on high in a heavy cast iron skillet or heavy fry pan. When oil is shimmering lower to medium heat and gently with a pair of tongs put the plantain chunks into the hot oil one at a time. Being careful not to splatter yourself. Fry one side then turn over on the other side. They will be should start to turn to light golden shade. Fry about 1 1/2 minutes each side. Remove them to a paper towell lined plate or pan. If you have a tostonera smash each piece one at a time and remove to a plate. If you do not have a tostonera take a brown paper bag lay it on the table open place a plantain on one side then fold over the other half of the bag and with your palm push down on top of the plantain applying pressure so as to smash down th eplantain chunk. Lift up the bag and you should have a round circle about 1/4 inch thick. Do all of the plantains chunks like this. Place back in the hot oil and fry again on both sides until the plantains are golden brown. take out and salt. Serve immediatly. Some people like to sprinkle some water over the plantains after smashing them down. Leaving them soak up the water for 10 minutes and then returning to the fry pan for the second fry. They crisp up real nice. I do not like to do it this way because it causes the hot oil to spatter to much. However you get a much crispier and tender tostone with this method. Salt and Enjoy