Cuban Tostones With Garlic Mojo Sauce Recipes

TOSTONES WITH GARLIC MOJO

Steps:

• In a medium sized frying pan, heat the oil for frying. (You should have about 3 to 4 inches of oil)
• Then cut the plantain in an inch-thick pieces, you will know your oil is hot when putting the first piece it will begin to bubble around it, if you want to be more thorough, have a thermometer at 320 F - 325 F.
• Fry the slices for about 3 to 4 minutes, until they are lightly colored and cooked. Take them out of the oil and put them over paper towels to drain al excess oil and let them cool down.
• Then tostones are smashed with a tostonera, a gadget to help flattened the tostones, if you have a tortilla press that will do if no the bottom of a wine bottle will do. Individually smashed down to about half their original height.
• Heat again the oil for frying and then place carefully the smashed plantain slices to the oil and cook them about 3 minutes until the edges become golden brown. Remove them from the oil, drain again on paper towels, sprinkle with salt and serve while hot with the garlic mojo.

TOSTONES WITH GARLIC MOJO DIPPING SAUCE

Steps:

• For the mojo: Finely mince or use a rasp grater to grate the garlic into a small bowl or the base of a mortar and pestle. Add the salt and pepper and use a fork or the pestle to mash into a paste. Strip the oregano and cilantro leaves off the stems and add them to the bowl, mashing them into the paste. Whisk in the sour orange juice or equal parts lime and orange juice and the olive oil. Taste and add additional salt if desired. Set aside while you prepare the tostones.
• For the tostones: Heat 3 inches of vegetable oil in a medium heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven until it reaches 325 degrees F on a deep-fry thermometer.
• While the oil heats, peel the plantains and cut on the bias into 2-inch-thick pieces.
• Fry the plantains in batches until crisp and pale yellow, about 2 minutes. Remove from the oil with a slotted spoon and drain on paper-towel-lined baking sheets. Repeat with the remaining plantains.
• Move the pot the off the heat (do not discard the oil).
• Line a cutting board with parchment paper and gather a flat-bottomed glass and small bowl of water. Place a fried plantain on the parchment paper, dip the bottom of the glass in the water and use it to smash the plantain to about 1/2-inch thick. Repeat with the rest of the plantains.
• Put the oil on the heat again and bring it back up to 325 degrees F. Fry the smashed plantains in batches until golden and crisp, 1 to 2 minutes. Drain on paper towels, season with salt and serve hot with the garlic mojo dipping sauce.

CUBAN GARLIC SAUCE (MOJO CUBANO)

Steps:

• For the mojo, you will need a large bowl. In a large bowl, pour the sour orange juice or lime juice, oregano, salt, pepper, garlic and sliced onion into the bowl and stir.
• Heat the olive oil over medium-high for 2 minutes, then when hot, pour olive oil into bowl. Be careful not to get burned, since some of it might splatter out.
• Mix the mojo ingredients, then let sit for 30 minutes.

CUBAN GARLIC SAUCE

Steps:

• NOTE: If you can't find sour orange juice, use 1/2 cup orange juice combined with 1/2 cup lemon juice.
• Crush garlic and salt in a mortar and pestle or in a food processor until it forms a smooth paste. Combine garlic, onion, and orange juice in a bowl.
• Heat oil in a skillet, add mixture, and stir for 3 minutes.
• This sauce can be used immediately or stored in refrigerator and reheated.

MOJO DE AJO (CUBAN CITRUS-GARLIC BARBECUE SAUCE)

Steps:

• Heat olive oil in deep saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic, and cook until fragrant and pale golden brown. Do not let brown too much, or else garlic will become bitter.
• Stir in sour orange juice (or lime juice and grapefruit juice), water, cumin, oregano, salt and pepper. Stand back, because the sauce may spatter. Bring to rolling boil. Correct the seasoning, adding more salt and pepper, if needed. Let cool to room temperature, and then stir in cilantro or parsley. Store in bottle or jar with tight-fitting lid; shake well before serving. Serve with grilled pork, chicken, seafood and vegetables.