Life List #30: Cook with Plantains

Look like bananas...not bananas...

Plantain (although from the same horticultural family) are very different from their smaller and less versatile cousins, the bananas.

Bigger, tougher fiberous skin, and starchy (potato-like) when they are green.

Different degrees of ripeness. Each one can be used for a different type of dish...from savory and spicy...to a sweet amazing dessert.

Although I have seen them at our local grocer's...I hadn't really experimented
with all they had to offer until a neighbor gave me several in various stages of ripeness to try.

One of mine.

Plantain are a staple in tropical climates...from Cuba to SE Asia, Nigeria and South America...and the recipes I found seemed endless. 

Taking the greenest (most starchy...not sweet)

I split the center...brushed it with a bit of olive oil and baked it whole in the skin.

You can stuff it after baking (20 minutes) with anything you would ordinarily stuff a baked potato with...or just top it with butter and salt.

The green skin will turn black during the baking process and is not edible. 

I stuffed mine with seasoned black beans.

If I do this again I am going to top them with a dollop of sour cream and a sprig of cilantro.

Soft baked potato taste. It was delicious.

The next experiment (also with the green starchy plantains) was Fried. 
Sometimes these are cut in strips like french fries.

I just cross cut mine.

Fixed in oil they were crisp on the outside and just like French Fries on the inside. A little salt and some ketchup to dip them in and they were perfect.

Taking one of the slightly yellow...but not black or sweet yet...I tried Mashed Plantain.

In Africa this is called Fufu. In South America- Mongu. It is the same basic stuff.

Cut into chunks after the peel is removed and boiled in salted water...the plantain turns yellow-orange.  A smoother consistency can probably be achieved with an electric mixer. I used an old fashion hand masher with a bit of milk and butter. The plantain will float when it is boiled...but remains much tougher than potatoes...and chunky.

You can add in most anything you would add to mashed potatoes.

Cheese or bacon sounds good.

To be honest...I wasn't impressed with them mashed.

The last dish I tried was made from ripe...almost black plantains...once they are ripe they become naturally very sweet and get a banana-like flavor.

They can be peeled and eaten raw at this stage.

I tried a bite and don't recommend it...bleah.

Sweeter...but definitely not a banana.

But, if you remove the tough black peel. Slice it in 1/4 rounds...add to a skillet with butter...sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar...

They become the most wonderful caramelized dessert!

The only way you could make these better is with a bit of whipped cream or a drizzle of soft caramel.

Just remember to use the almost black-to very black ripe for this dish.

(Ripeness scale 5, 6, or 7)

I think baked was my favorite savory dish, and caramelized was definitely the way to go for dessert.

And Plantains have just joined my shopping list.

Who knew?