[hotlunch]

Fried plantains. Ever make them? Cast iron skillet? What type of oil? Is it worth it to try to make them at home?

[Mr V]

I tried them as was very ho-hum. Did it once and haven't done it since. Found them to be very bland. Here is how I did them. Receipe comes for "Dinners with Famous Women" by Eugenia R. Van Vliet
2# plantains, peeled and diced
1/4# salt pork (NOT bacon)
1 onion, minced
Cover plantains with water and cook till soft. Drain and mash. In fry pan saute pork untill crisp, add onion saute 5 minutes. Add plantains and cook till hot.

[PMY]

I think any kind of skillet would work. Vegetable oil would probably work the best. Anything that's not going to add too much flavor of its own (like olive oil would). As long as you don't mind cleaning up after frying, its pretty easy. Just slice them thin, fry in hot oil until brown around the edges (or all the way around if you prefer), drain on some paper towels, salt them while they're hot, and when they get cool enough, eat. Relatively healthy chips!

[MrsKitty]

A friend says she grills them in the peeling. I have never tried it.

[The Pontificator]

Not a big fan of fried plantains.

Plaintain chips, however, are a different story. Love 'em!

[Mild Bill]

Originally Posted by Mr V

I tried them as was very ho-hum. Did it once and haven't done it since. Found them to be very bland. Here is how I did them. Receipe comes for "Dinners with Famous Women" by Eugenia R. Van Vliet
2# plantains, peeled and diced
1/4# salt pork (NOT bacon)
1 onion, minced
Cover plantains with water and cook till soft. Drain and mash. In fry pan saute pork untill crisp, add onion saute 5 minutes. Add plantains and cook till hot.

That is a recipe for a Puerto Rican 'Mofongo' type of thing...

[Mild Bill]

Fried Plantains are spectacular and super easy to make at home, but the key to it
is getting totally ripe ones at the market...
Platanos maduros... Maduro means 'ripe'...

Black ones!
Barely any yellow...

If they're yellow or even spotty, they'll taste like a potato--- and not a good one...

Get black plaintains and peel them (they'll be pretty inside)...
Slice them an inch thick on a bias...

1/2 inch of canola, vegetable, or peanut oil... A few minutes per side...
If you deep fry you won't have to flip 'em...

So--- it's a good thing to have ready to go when you already have the deep fryer goin'...

[84S]

Make sure your oil is at least 350, drop your plantains in the oil, cook until brown. You need fried plantain for quality Jerk spiced food.

[woodstove]

This is how I learned to make them
plantains peeled and cut on a bias 1" thick
fry them hot oil until they start to golden brown
remove from oil and press between two plates, yes the squish down
return to hot oil cook until they are golden brown
remove drain sprinkle with garlic salt better than potato chips

[Mild Bill]

Originally Posted by woodstove

This is how I learned to make them
plantains peeled and cut on a bias 1" thick
fry them hot oil until they start to golden brown
remove from oil and press between two plates, yes the squish down
return to hot oil cook until they are golden brown
remove drain sprinkle with garlic salt better than potato chips

Right--- that's what you do to make 'Tostones'... toe-STOW-nays...
Usually with less ripe starchier plaintains...

With the super ripe sweet ones you can't flatten them cause they're too soft...

[noway]

also to add if you get the chance, buy the hawaiian plantains. Cook them when they are semi-ripen. I personally think they are better than the regular plantains.

[noway]

Originally Posted by woodstove

This is how I learned to make them
plantains peeled and cut on a bias 1" thick
fry them hot oil until they start to golden brown
remove from oil and press between two plates, yes the squish down
return to hot oil cook until they are golden brown
remove drain sprinkle with garlic salt better than potato chips

also if you go to a Haitian or Cuban store they sell a Tostones press ( 2 piece of wood paddles that get's the same thing done. The best why outside of a press or plate is a sheet of waxed paper.