Recipe: Twice Fried Plantains
I love fried plantains. The first time I ever had them was in a Puerto Rican restaurant and they served these plantains, like French fries alongside of my meal. They were topped with sour cream and it was love at first bite! Ever since that day, whenever I eat Latin food, I am looking for those plantains – Deeply caramelized on the outside, soft on the inside.
I loved them so much I tried making them at home,several times over the years, but they always turned out hard and starchy, even when I bought ones that were yellow. I asked around, but no one could really give me the secret to the perfect fried plantain – probably because the secret is so easy, they failed to mention it!
Enter Michael Chiarello, Food Network chef. Now Michael usually shows us how to entertain Italian style, but last week I watched one of his shows that focused on Cuban food, where he was celebrating the beginning of his food career in South Florida. In comes the secret to perfect fried plantains.
It happened so fast and so easily, I almost missed it…the secret, is to fry them once in vegetable oil until golden brown, then take them out of the oil and pound them, so they crack open, breaking up the starch, then fry them again. So the next time I went to the grocery store I was all over those plantains and we did them up that very night, and guess what? My plantains were perfect!!!! We served them with black beans and a little smoked kielbasa – I know, not really keeping with the theme, but it was a least that little pork flavor that goes so well with plantains and black beans! So there you have it, they secret to fried plantains!
Have a great weekend everybody!
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Steamy Kitchen - August 10, 2007 at 9:35 am
Well slap me with a plantain! I too made them once and it didn’t taste right. Thanks for the secret.
Deborah - August 10, 2007 at 10:13 am
That is so funny, because I was just watching Throwdown with Bobby Flay and the thing they were making was Cuban Pork. Both Bobby and the challenger made fried plantains to serve with their pork, and it made me really crave the plantains, although I’ve never had them!! Thanks for the secret – I’ll have to try it out for myself now!
Valli - August 10, 2007 at 10:24 am
I would have never guessed. I have avoided plantains with a vengeance for years because I have never had one cooked properly. I will have to give them another chance.
Scrapgirl72 - August 10, 2007 at 10:41 am
Wow! Thanks for the information. I will have to try some of these. I know my husband will like them, too.
marye - August 10, 2007 at 11:17 am
But are they good with chipotle? 😉
Seriously, I haven’t eer tried to make them…now I am wondering if I should..
Annie - August 10, 2007 at 12:02 pm
Ooooh, I’m making Cuban sandwiches this week, and I was going to buy plantain chips to go with them, but this looks so much fresher and better…thanks!
gerda - August 10, 2007 at 1:04 pm
wow, i always thought that those plantains (the german word is “kochbanane” – “cooking banana”) are a myth! i would not even know where to buy them … maybe i can track some down on the market next week. i know a shop that has over 200 exotic fruits and veggies. i am sure i will be able to try the twice fried platains soon!
nina_preciosa - August 10, 2007 at 1:30 pm
Funny…I grew up in Latin America and mom made fried plátanos almost every night. I never saw her beat them and I’ve never had to do it myself in the 17+ years I’ve been cooking as a dweller in various US cities.
The thing with plátanos is that one has to get to know how ripe they have to be for different uses. If you are going to add them to beef soup (like potatoes) they have to be less ripe. I suspect that is the ripeness you used the first time you tried frying them. If they are over-ripe (the peel is black and the plátano is squishy) then it’s no use trying to fry them…but you can bake them in the oven and have a delicious sweet equivalent of the fried ones with less hassle.
If you want to try an experiment, I recommend you buy some plátanos and cook them at various stages of ripeness. Don’t be afraid that they might be “over ripe” – people not used to them make this mistake. This experiment will show you how they cook up as the starch in them changes with maturity.
When they get black on the outside and really squishy, do the following:
1. Oil an oven-proof glass dish or baking sheet with at least 1″ sides.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
3. Slice the plátano once – lengthwise and only about half way through it (that is, do not slice all the way through cutting it in half).
4. Remove the skin. Place plátanos on baking dish. Bake until they are deeply browned – checking periodically and turning and oiling as needed.
Sorry my instructions are not more detailed – I’ve never taken the time to record how much time these take. I will next time and let you know, if you are interested.
I am really enjoying your blog! Happy cooking!
sognatrice - August 10, 2007 at 1:48 pm
Never had them, but I trust you 🙂
I *do* however crave kielbasa now….
The Leftover Queen - August 10, 2007 at 2:15 pm
Hi Everyone! I am so glad some of you have been inspired to try this simple but oh so delicious dish! I promise you will not regret it!
Steamy! I am so glad I am not the only one! Try it again with the trick and I am sure you will love them!
Deborah! Man those would be delicious with Cuban pork! Enjoy!
Hi Valli! Yes they deserve another chance! Let me know how they turn out for you! Apparently they are not as easy to cook as I had thought!
Hey Scrapgirl! Good luck and let me know how it works out!
Marye! I am sure they are great with chipotle, actually – a chipotle sour cream sauce, oh yeah!
Hey Annie! Yes, try them! They will go great with your cubanos!
Gerda! I hope you can find some! They really are quite delicious!
Hi Nina! Thanks for stopping by and posting this wonderfully helpful comment! I will certianly try your method the next time I make these! I really appreciate it!
Thanks, Sognatrice! 🙂
Yes, I love kielbasa!
Cris - August 10, 2007 at 2:38 pm
Hummmm, that reminds me of my childhood plantains with rice and beans!
lindsay - August 10, 2007 at 4:04 pm
Great site, glad I stumbled in!
I wonder what the difference is between these fried plantains and the tostones I love so dearly? Are these at all sweet or are they savory?
Thanks for sharing your knowledge and passion!
Andy - August 10, 2007 at 9:30 pm
Wow they really caramelized up nicely for you! Here is another take on this but I have used a grill instead. My Plantains are also a little less ripe. These are more like tostones.
http://catertots.net/by-type/vegetable/grilled-tostones
Kevin - August 10, 2007 at 10:00 pm
I have never tried plantains before but these fried plantains certainly look good. The fact that you can use them in beef stew in place of potatoes sounds interesting. I am going to have to pick some up and try them.
lia - August 11, 2007 at 2:20 am
when dropping here i always mouthwatering, its sound good
The Leftover Queen - August 11, 2007 at 10:03 am
Hey Cris! Well that is the nicest compliment I could recieve!
Hi lindsay! Thanks for stopping by and posting a comment! These plantains are actually more of a savory dish with a little sweetness from the caramelization. So it is a bit of both. I am sure you could make a dessert version of these quite easily, and I certainly intend to try!
Hi Andy! Thanks for stopping by and posting a comment! I will certainly try out your version of grilled plantains! Sounds wonderful!
Hi Kevin! Yes, I recommend trying them all sorts of different ways. I did not know that you could use them in stew either. Doesn’t it sound amazing! Thanks for coming by and posting a comment!
Hi Lia! Thank you very much!
Anh - August 11, 2007 at 10:09 am
What a lovely dish! I love plantains, but don’t really know how to cook them. Thanks for sharing this.
Truffle - August 12, 2007 at 6:40 am
Like Anh I really like plantains too but am inexperienced when it comes to cooking them. I’m delighted to see this!
The Leftover Queen - August 12, 2007 at 10:17 am
Hi Anh and Truffle! I am so glad that this has helped! Let me know how it goes for you! Thanks!
Sue Gordon - August 12, 2007 at 12:29 pm
Jenn,
Those look soooooooo good. I saw that Michael show where he smashed the plantains and I remember thinking how pointless that looked. I’m so glad you tried it and let us know that it works. You and Michael never let us down.
Cynthia - August 12, 2007 at 5:43 pm
Ah plantains, especially sweet, ripe, plantains. There are so many ways we prepare them here in the Caribbean Jenn. The way Michael C mentioned is definitely a Puerto Rican thing.
When we fry ripe plantains here, we usually slice them thinly lengthways. And when we think of ripe plantains, we are talking about those where there are black parts of the skin are black or all over the skin is black, yet the plantain is firm on the inside.
The next time you fry some ripe plantains, try sprinkling a little sea salt on them while they’re hot out of the oil – you will love it! 🙂
The Leftover Queen - August 12, 2007 at 7:59 pm
Hi Sue! Thanks! I am so glad I tried his method. It was the only thing I had never done when making plantains and it seemed to make a lot of sense! Glad it worked!
Hey Cynthia! I was hoping you’d shed some light on this topic as you are such a fountain of knowledge when it comes to all things Caribbean – especially, food!
I am going to try frying them your way and sprinkling them with the sea salt! Sounds wonderful! Thanks so much for your comment!
Windy - August 14, 2007 at 7:19 am
I had it before and love it. Never try to make it myself thou… hmm… it sounds quite easy so I should give it a go.
Figs Olives Wine - August 14, 2007 at 10:21 am
I used to travel to Miami for work quite a bit, and we used to absolutely live on fried plantains – delicious! Wonderful to know this secret, Jenn!
The Leftover Queen - August 14, 2007 at 3:16 pm
Hi Windy! You should definately give them a try. It is not difficult to make and the taste is wonderful!
Hey Amanda! Aren’t they just like eating candy? So yummy and hard to stop eating!
Nicole Meyer - August 21, 2007 at 3:12 pm
Yummmm! I L-O-V-E plantains!! (especially with mashed black beans and cream) YUMMMM
The Leftover Queen - August 21, 2007 at 10:49 pm
Yes, they are wonderful, aren’t they?
Harry & Eddie - September 14, 2007 at 11:53 am
I used to know a guy in Northern California of Puerto Rican heritage, and he made these all the time. They’re called tostones, and I found this website if you want to buy the device to make them, a tostonera (http://www.tostobueno.com/home.html). Love them right out of the hot oil and freshly seasoned with coarse salt. Yummy! (p.s.: I have no interest in this company; just wanted to pass it on to you.) The new Simply Delicioso show had these last week; they just smashed them inside of a Zip bag, using a heaving skillet. Same results.
Hortencia Piedra - September 20, 2007 at 9:19 pm
Harry & Eddie, I have a tostobueno having bought one when they first came out. I just to smash them with a brown paper bag until I couldnt find brown paper bags as readily as one could. The Tostobueno — I got the trio — allows me to not only mash three at once, but if you turn in over, I can make toston cups as well that I top off with anything. As for the Zip bag, I did try that once — very messy and I have a family of four. Mashing three at a time quicker, less messy and the plantains dont go cold waiting to be smashed. Simple Delicioso is not like my mom’s cooking or any Latin cooking Ive ever seen. In fact, the NYTimes gave her a bad review, as well as other bloggers. But she sure is pretty.