You know those weird things that look similar to but aren’t bananas, the plantains you sometimes find at the market?
If you’ve
never tried them, you’re in for a treat. Cooked right, they are delicious!
Secret: Buy them yellow if you must, but don't try to eat them until the peel displays many black areas and it looks like you should throw them away. THEN they're ripe. Don't eat raw! They must be cooked.
Joseph says, “I asked my friend Luis why the plantains in the
Mexican market are labeled Macho Plantanos. "‘Because they are harder,’ he said," with the appropriate hand gesture.
Fried Plantains with Hazelnuts
Serves 2
1 ripe plantain (when it’s nearly all blackened)
2 Tablespoons goat butter
1 teaspoon grapeseed oil
2 tablespoons crushed roasted hazelnuts (optional)
Peel and slice plantain lengthwise into quarters, while
heating butter and oil over medium heat in an iron skillet. Add plantains and
fry for 8-10 minutes, checking every 3 minutes to turn as they brown. Make sure they don’t
get too dark. When soft and browned all over, they’re done. Remove to serving
dish and garnish with hazelnuts.
Note: We like to eat this starchy item with breakfast in place of toast, rice, or potatoes. For the breakfast pictured above, Joseph scrambled eggs in the plantain pan, using
the same oil and butter mixture, and added baby carrots from our garden. Yum!
