Puerto Rican Mondongo Recipes

TRADITIONAL PLANTAIN MOFONGO RECIPE

Steps:

• Gather the ingredients.
• Heat about 2 inches of oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet or deep fryer to 350 F.
• While the oil is heating up, peel the plantains and cut into 1-inch rounds.
• Fry the plantains until golden and tender, 4 to 6 minutes.
• Remove cooked plantains from the pan or fryer to a paper-towel-lined plate.
• Put the garlic paste in a large bowl or mortar and add the fried plantains, in batches, if necessary. Mash thoroughly.
• Add the pork rinds. Continue to mash and mix until all of the ingredients are combined. Add salt to taste.
• Shape the mofongo into 4 balls and serve.
• Alternatively, you can make the mofongo into a half-dome shape using a small condiment bowl as a mold; push a portion of mofongo down to the bottom of the bowl.
• With the back of a spoon, smooth over and level off the mix.
• Then use the spoon to scrape around the bowl and remove the mash in a half-dome shape.

MONDONGO: PUERTO RICAN TRIPE STEW

Steps:

• Wash tripe tripe and calf's feet thoroughly under running water.
• drain and dry.
• Reserve calf's feet.
• Rub tripe with limes and place in a pot.
• Squeeze the rest of juice from limes over tripe.
• Add water to cover tripe by 2 inches and bring rapidly to a boil.
• Reduce heat to moderate and boil, uncovered, for 10 minutes.
• Drain and rinse well in cold running water.
• Cut tripe into strips 1+1/2 inch x 1 inch and place in a 10 quart kettle, together with calf's feet and rest of ingredients included in list"B".
• Bring rapidly to a boil, reduce heat to moderate, cover, and boil about 2 hours or until tripe is tender.
• Add garbanzo's, including liquid, and rest of ingredients included in list"C" and bring to a boil over over high heat.
• Reduce heat to moderate, cover, and boil until vegetables are fork-tender.
• Taste and adjust seasoning.
• Boil, uncovered, over moderate heat, until thickened to taste.

PUERTO RICAN MONDONGO

Steps:

• Combine tripe and lemon juice in a large bowl. Let sit, about 10 minutes.
• Transfer tripe and lemon juice to a large pot. Cover with 2 inches of water. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to low and cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly softened, about 10 minutes. Drain and rinse tripe.
• Return tripe to the pot. Cover with 2 quarts beef broth, adding water as needed. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and cook until tender, about 2 hours.
• Stir remaining beef stock, cassava, potatoes, yams, pumpkin, sweet potatoes, tomato sauce, sofrito, and corn into the pot. Cook until tender, about 20 minutes more. Season with salt and pepper.

PUERTO RICAN SANCOCHO

Steps:

• Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium-low heat; add onion, garlic, cilantro, white pepper, oregano, and salt. Cook and stir until onion is browned and very tender, about 20 minutes. Add stew meat; cook and stir until meat is browned on all sides, 5 to 7 minutes.
• Pour enough water over meat mixture to fill pot 3/4 full; add tomato sauce and beef bouillon.
• Mix green beans, carrots, celery, chayote squash, white beans, cabbage, green banana, yellow plantain, llautias, potatoes, pumpkin, corn, and green bell pepper (in this order), cooking and stirring after each addition. Cook until all the vegetables are tender and stew has formed a rich broth, 2 to 3 hours. Add more water or salt if needed.

MOFONGO (PUERTO RICAN PLANTAIN BALLS)

Steps:

• Peel plantains and cut into one-inch slices.
• In a large saucepan or deep fryer, heat oil to 350 degrees. Add plantain slices in two batches and fry for 7 minutes, turning once, until light golden but not browned. Drain on paper towels.
• In a large mortar or big bowl, crush garlic cloves with pestle or the back of a spoon and sprinkle with salt. Add olive oil to the mixture and keep pounding until it's well incorporated. Transfer to a small bowl.
• In the same mortar or bowl, crush half of the fried plantain slices with half of the pork rinds, 1/2 slice of cooked bacon, and half the garlic aioli and pound or smash together. Add up to 1/2 cup chicken stock as needed, to make it moist.
• Spoon the mixture and shape into two-inch balls. Repeat with remaining ingredients and keep in warm oven until ready to serve. Top with more crushed chicharrón, or cilantro if you wish.