Patacon Food

PATACON

Steps:

• For the mojo: Combine the lime juice, green pepper, white onion, oil, garlic, japaleños, salt, and 1/3 cup of water in a medium bowl and whisk until the salt is dissolved.
• For the pork belly: Place the pork belly in the mojo and marinate for 1 hour.
• Bring 7 cups water to a boil in a large pot. Add the pork belly and cook for 45 to 50 minutes. Drain and let cool for 20 minutes.
• Deep-fry the pork belly until golden brown.
• For the patacon: Deep-fry the plantains until golden brown, about 7 minutes. Place the fried plantains on a table in a straight line. Place a cheesecloth on top and use a rolling pin to mash plantains. Cool for 30 minutes, then fry again before serving.
• For the rice: Bring 1 cup water to a boil in a saucepan. Stir in the rice and salt and reduce the heat to medium low. Cover and cook until the rice is tender, 15 to 20 minutes.
• For the guacamole: Scoop the avocado flesh into a low serving bowl and mash with a fork. Add the olive oil, lime juice, jalapeño and some cilantro; stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper.
• For the pico de gallo: Put the tomatoes, red onion, jalapeno, olive oil, lime juice and some cilantro in a mixing bowl; stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper.
• To assemble: Arrange the deep-fried pork belly on the patacon. Serve with a side of rice, guacamole and pico de gallo.

PATACONES (FRIED GREEN PLANTAINS)

Steps:

• Peel the plantains and cut cross-wise into 1/2" slices
• In a medium heavy pot, add enough vegetable oil to cover the plantain slices and heat the oil over medium high heat.
• Add the plantain slices to the heated oil in a single layer. Fry for about 3 to 4 minutes per side. Carefully remove the plantains with a slotted spoon, and place them on a plate lined with paper towels to absorb excess oil.
• Let the patacones cool for 3 minutes. Then, place the plantains on a piece of plastic wrap and cover with another piece of plastic wrap. With a flat pot cover, press well on the pieces of plantain, flattening them to ¼" thickness.
• Dip each slice in salted water. Then using tongs add them back in the hot oil in a single layer (you may need to work in batches) and fry for an additional 3 minutes on each side. Be careful when you fry the soaked plantains, as droplets of water will cause the oil to splatter.
• Remove the patacones with slotted spoon and transfer them to a plate lined with paper towels to absorb oil, sprinkle with salt, to taste, transfer to a serving plate and serve hot with guacamole, tomato sauce or salsa.

PATACONES DE COLOMBIA (FRIED PLANTAINS)

Steps:

• Place a plate, upside-down, onto a work surface.
• Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Fry plantain slices in the hot oil until slightly browned, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Transfer plantain slices using a slotted spoon onto the upside-down plate, reserving oil in the skillet. Place a second plate, right-side up, onto the plantains. Smash the plantain slices by gently pressing the top plate into the bottom plate.
• Place the smashed plantains in the hot oil and fry until browned, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Transfer fried plantains to a paper towel-lined plate and sprinkle salt over plantains.

SANDY'S DELICIOUS PULLED PORK PATACON

Steps:

• For the Pulled Pork: Cut up the pork in small pieces and put into a large Dutch oven. Add the Sofrito (see recipe below), water, Worcestershire, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, paprika, black pepper and salt. Toss to coat the pork. Refrigerate and marinate for at least 8 hours up to 2 days. (The longer you marinate, the better.)
• Preheat the oven 350 degrees F. Cover the Dutch oven and braise the pork until very tender, about 3 hours and 30 minutes.
• Once you take the pork out, it will be so juicy and tender you will be able to separate it with the gentle touch of a fork.
• For the Garlic Sauce: Blend the scallions, mayonnaise, water and garlic together until smooth (then sample and taste the power of this sauce!). Refrigerate for up to 3 days.
• For the Plantains: Fill a large pot about halfway with oil, attach a deep fat-fry thermometer and heat to 350 degrees F. Peel and cut plantains in half lengthwise. Add in batches to the hot oil and fry until golden, about 6 minutes. Remove and flatten each half (I like to use a heavy flat dish). Return batches of the flattened plantains back into the oil about for another minute. Remove to paper towel-lined plate and set aside until ready to
• use.
• Assemble: Place a piece of fried/flattened plantain on a plate, top with lettuce, tomatoes, cheese and pulled pork. Drizzle with ketchup and garlic sauce and sandwich with another plantain. Enjoy the messy deliciousness. You could eat with your hands, but I prefer using knife and fork to keep appearances.
• Finely chop the green onions, crushed red pepper, garlic and onion in a food processor. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and cook, stirring frequently, until the onion is soft and translucent. Cool and refrigerate for up to 1 week.

PATACON PISAO

Steps:

• Boil beans in water to cover with bay leaf until tender; drain. Saute onions and garlic in olive oil until tender. Add cumin and oregano; cook for 2 minutes. Add tomato paste and cooked beans. Puree in a food processor.
• Fry cooked plantains in a skillet at 300 degrees F until tender. Place between 2 wet towels and roll to 1/4 inch thickness with a rolling pin to create a round "dough" of plantain. Return to pan and cook for 3 minutes on each side or until edges are crisp.
• To serve, spread puree over plantains. Scramble eggs in a non-stick pan, and place on top of plantains. Sprinkle with cheese.

PATACON CON TODO

Steps:

• For the fried plantains:.
• Pour enough oil into a large deep skillet or heavy pot to reach a depth of 1 1/2 inches. Heat the oil over medium-high heat until a deep-fry thermometer registers 375 degrees F. Fry the plantains in batches until lightly golden and still slightly soft, about 3 minutes. Transfer the plantains to a paper towel-lined plate or tray to drain using a slotted spoon. When they are cool enough to handle, place them between sheets of plastic wrap and press down firmly with the bottom of a heavy skillet to flatten. Slip the plantains into warm salted water in batches, and then fry again until crisp and brown, another 3 to 4 minutes. Drain again on paper towels.
• For the grill:.
• Preheat the grill. Whisk together the beer and scallions. Grill the chicken, sausage and steak, brushing with the beer and scallion mixture, until cooked through. Throw 2 or 3 fried plantains on the grill for a little while to get a smoky flavor. Let the meats rest before chopping them all up separately.
• To assemble:.
• Drizzle chimichurri sauce on the plate. Arrange the plantains in a layer, then pile on the chopped steak, chicken and sausage. Squeeze pink sauce and then garlic sauce over the top. Garnish with the lettuce and cheese. Finally, top with the chicharron.

PATACON MARACUCHO (FRIED PLANTAIN SANDWICH)

Steps:

• Heat oil in a 10" skillet over medium-high heat. Add plantain halves and fry, turning once, until light brown, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board and split each plantain in half lengthwise, keeping them hinged on the inward-curved side. Place on cutting board cut sides down and, using a plate, flatten each into a 1/4″-thick round disk. One at a time, return each plantain disk to the oil and fry, turning once, until crisp and golden brown, about 4 minutes. Using tongs, transfer to paper towels to drain.
• Purée mayonnaise, cilantro, and avocado in a food processor until smooth; season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a medium bowl and add chicken; toss to coat. Place chicken mixture on one plantain disk and top with lettuce and tomato. Cover with remaining disk.