Two Tone Tostones Recipes

DOMINICAN TOSTONES (FRIED PLANTAINS)

Steps:

• Peel the plantains and cut into 1-inch thick slices.
• In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Fry the plantains until lightly golden on both sides, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate lined with a paper towel.
• Using the bottom of a bottle, small saucepan, or tostonera if you have one, press down the plantains to flatten them to about half their original size.
• Return the pressed plantains to the hot oil. Fry until crisp around the edges, about 2 minutes on each side.

TOTALLY TOSTONES

Steps:

• Put 3 cloves garlic into a mortar and add 1 teaspoon salt. Mash with the pestle until it forms a smooth paste; set aside.
• Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cut both ends off the plantains and run a knife just through the skin down the sides. Drop them into the boiling water for 10 to 15 seconds. Take them out and plunge them into ice water. Peel the plantains and cut them into 1/2-inch thick slices.
• Heat about 1/4-inch vegetable oil in a large skillet and fry the plantains, in batches, on both flat sides until browned, about 2 minutes per side. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Press the tostones in a tostones press or on a cutting board with the bottom of a small heavy pot until they are about 1/4-inch thick. Toss them in a bowl with the garlic paste. Re-fry the tostones in the hot oil until golden brown.
• Serve as is with a sprinkling of salt or with a dab of one of the suggested toppings.

TOSTONES

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine the garlic, garlic salt and onion powder. Add plantains; cover with cold water. Soak for 30 minutes. , Drain plantains; place on paper towels and pat dry. In an electric skillet or deep fryer, heat oil to 375°. Add plantains, a few at a time, and cook for 30-60 seconds or until lightly browned. Remove with a slotted spoon; drain on paper towels., Place plantain pieces between two sheets of aluminum foil. With the bottom of a glass, flatten to 1/2-in. thickness. Fry 2-3 minutes longer or until golden brown. , Combine seasoning mix ingredients; sprinkle tostones with seasoning mix.

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.

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

Steps:

• Pour 1 1/2 to 2 inches of oil a large saute pan or deep large skillet and place over medium-high heat. Line 2 plates with paper towels.
• Meanwhile, place the plantains on a cutting board and cut off the ends. While holding a plantain firmly, slit the peel lengthwise without cutting into the flesh of the plantain. Cut the plantain in half crosswise. Using the tip of your knife, start to loosen the edges of the skin without cutting into the flesh. Remove the peel of the plantain with your hands. Repeat with the remaining plantains.
• Slice the plantains into 1-inch rounds. Fry the plantains in batches until just golden brown, about 3 minutes. Transfer to one of the paper towel-lined plates to drain.
• Flatten the plantains in a tostonera or on a cutting board by pressing down on the pieces one at a time with a small plate or the bottom of a clean can.
• Working in batches, return the flattened plantains to the saute pan and fry again until they are golden and crisp, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to the second paper towel-lined plate.
• Meanwhile, whisk together the mayonnaise, ketchup and garlic in a small bowl and until completely incorporated.
• Sprinkle the tostones with salt and serve immediately with the mayo-ketchup on the side.

TOSTONES

Steps:

• Trim and discard the ends of the plantains. Use a paring knife to cut a slit along the length of the plantain to easily remove the peel, carefully avoiding cutting into the flesh. If the peel is too firm, use a spoon to lift the edges, then discard the peel. Slice the plantain crosswise into 1-inch rounds (about 8 pieces per plantain).
• In a large skillet, heat about 1/8-inch vegetable oil over medium. When the oil shimmers, add the plantains, flat-side down. Fry until beginning to turn golden, about 1 minute per side.
• While keeping the heat on, transfer plantains to a cutting board. Working with one piece at a time, use a tostonera or large flat-bottomed cup to gently press each plantain to about 1/2-inch thick. (If using a cup, keep it as centered as possible to flatten the plantains evenly.)
• Working in batches if necessary to avoid crowding the pan, pan-fry the flattened plantains until golden-brown, 1 to 2 minutes per side.
• Using a slotted spoon, transfer tostones to a paper towel-lined plate to drain. While hot, season with salt to taste. Serve immediately.

SHRIMP TOSTONES

Steps:

• Make the sauce: Heat butter in a large saucepan over high heat; cook the garlic and squash until the garlic is aromatic.
• Add the wine and onion and reduce the heat to medium low; cook until the squash is tender and the wine has reduced to a glaze, about 15 minutes.
• Stir in chicken broth, heavy cream and thyme; cook until reduced by about 1/3, 6 to 8 minutes.
• Remove from heat, discard thyme, and puree with an immersion blender, or use a regular blender.
• Strain sauce, season with salt and pepper, to taste, and thin with additional broth, if necessary.
• To make the shrimp filling, melt butter in a large skillet, over high heat.
• Add garlic and cook until aromatic, 1 to 2 minutes.
• Stir in shrimp, salsa, and white wine; cook until the wine and liquid from the salsa is reduced and the shrimps are cooked, 2 to 3 minutes; remove from heat.
• To reduce the balsamic vinegar: cook the vinegar, in a small saucepan, over medium low heat (gentle simmer) until the vinegar is reduced to a thick sauce, 8 to 10 minutes; set aside and let cool.
• Peel the plantains and cut into thirds.
• Use a melon baller to scoop out plantains to form a "canoe.".
• Heat 1/2 inch of oil in a skillet over medium heat and fry the plantains until they are golden and tender on all sides, about 6 to 8 minutes; drain on paper toweling.
• To assemble: Divide 1 cup of the sauce on each of 4 serving plates.
• Place 3 plantains on each plate and spread with shrimp filling.
• Drizzle with the balsamic reduction and serve.

TWO-TONE TOSTONES

Steps:

• Wash the sweet potatoes. Pierce the peel in 6-8 places, place both in microwave and nuke for 4-6 minutes, until partially cooked.
• While sweet potatoes are cooking, peel plantains and slice into medium rounds.
• Slice sweet potatoes into chunks. My preferred method it to quarter them and then chunk the quarters like a banana. Nice triangular pieces are good for presentation.
• Heat olive oil in a large skillet or nonstick frying pan.
• On medium to medium-high heat, fry sweet potato and plantain slices together, stirring and flipping to prevent sticking or burning.
• Grate sea salt over slices during frying process.
• Drain and shake onto serving plate. Best hot! Reheat well in oven or toaster oven after refrigeration, poorly in microwave.