Fried Plantains With Skillet Rice And Beans Food

JOLLOF RICE WITH FRIED PLANTAINS

Steps:

• For the red sauce: Put the garlic, tomatoes, onion, bell pepper, ginger, seasoning cube, pepper, tomato paste and curry powder in a blender. Puree until smooth.
• Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the red sauce puree and cook until dry, 30 to 45 minutes. Season with salt. Let cool to room temperature, then refrigerate until ready to use.
• For the jollof rice: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Mince the habanero to a paste with some salt. Heat the oil and habanero paste in a medium pot over medium heat. Sweat the habaneros slightly, then stir in the tomato paste. Add the rice and stir to coat with the oil. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the rice begins to toast and turn golden, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in 1 cup of the Red Sauce and cook for another 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in 2 cups water and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking. Once boiling, and some salt and cover the pot and transfer to the oven until the liquid is absorbed and the rice is cooked through, about 18 minutes.
• Remove the pot from the oven, remove the lid and fluff with a fork. Cover and let sit, about 5 minutes. Add salt to taste and set aside.
• For the fried plantains: Fill a medium straight-sided skillet halfway full with oil. Place the skillet over medium-high heat and heat until the oil reaches 350 degrees F on a deep-fry thermometer.
• Working in batches, fry the plantains until golden, 3 to 5 minutes. Use a slotted spoon or spider to remove from the oil and drain on a paper-towel-lined plate. Immediately season with salt to taste.
• To serve: Spoon the jollof rice into a large serving bowl and top with fried sweet plantains and extra red sauce.

FRIED PLANTAINS WITH SKILLET RICE AND BEANS

Steps:

• Cook bacon in medium skillet on medium heat 3 min. Stir in onions, peppers and garlic; cook 5 min. or until bacon is crisp. Add rice; cook 3 min., stirring constantly.
• Drain beans; reserving liquid. Place reserved liquid in measuring cup; add enough water to measure 3 cups. Pour over rice; bring to boil. Cover; simmer on low heat 15 min.; add beans. Cook 5 min. or until liquid is absorbed.
• Meanwhile, heat dressing in medium skillet. Add plantains; cook 3 min. on each side or until golden brown. Serve plantains over rice mixture.

PLATANOS MADUROS (COSTA RICAN FRIED RIPE PLANTAINS)

Steps:

• Heat vegetable oil in skillet over medium heat.
• Fully peel plantains, and cut them diagonally into approximately 1-inch wide pieces, working your way down the length of the plantain. (NOT length-wise slices).
• Carefully place pieces of plantain in skillet.
• Flipping often, fry plantains until golden brown. The Plantains will be rather mushy - they're supposed to be.
• *They will be sweet - the riper the plantains, the sweeter they will be. (They will NOT taste like patacones, if you've tried those) If you prefer them sweeter, you can sprinkle with sugar before cooking.

FRIED RICE AND BEANS (GALLO PINTO)

Steps:

• Go through beans and pick out any with holes or rocks. Transfer beans to a large container and cover with several inches of cool water; let soak for at least 1 hour, or overnight.
• Rinse beans and dump water out. Transfer to a large pan and cover with fresh water by 2 inches. Add garlic and bay leaf and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook until tender, about 1 hour, adding oregano and salt during the last few minutes. Reserve a few spoons of "caldo" (cooking juice) as it cooks.
• Measure 1/2 cup cooked beans for gallo pinto and reserve remaining beans for another use.
• For one serving of gallo pinto: Heat oil in a skillet over medium-low heat. Add onion and saute until dark but not burned, 8 to 10 minutes. Add 1/2 cup cooked black beans along with 2 to 3 tablespoons "caldo." Stir in rice and cook until it starts to get crispy 3 to 5 minutes.

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 3 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 fry until golden brown. Drain on paper towels, and season with salt and garlic powder.