Patacones Food

PATACONES (TOSTONES)

Steps:

• Peel the plantains and cut each into 1 to 1½-inch (4 cm) sections.
• Plunge into a hot frying oil for about 5 minutes, until golden brown.
• Remove them with a slotted spoon and place on paper towels.
• Flatten each fried portion with a tostonera, wooden utensil used for crushing the segments into a flat circles. You can also flatten each portion of fried plantain between two boards lined with plastic wrap, to obtain ¼-inch (5 mm) thick flat pancakes.
• Deep fry the plantain flat sections, in small batches, for about 4 minutes until they turn light golden. Pick them up with a slotted spoon and place them on paper towels.
• Add a pinch of salt and serve hot.

PATACONES (FRIED PLANTAIN)

Steps:

• Peel Plantain, and cut it width wise into 3 or 4 pieces.
• I have found that the easiest way to peel the plantain is to cut roughly 1/4" off of each end of the plantain (the very tips), and then carefully, without cutting into the plantain itself, slicing the skin down one side.
• Once you have slit the skin on one side, you can gently pry the peel off with your fingers.
• Heat 1" of vegetable oil on medium heat until hot.
• Fry plantain pieces on both sides for about 3 minutes, or until the pieces are golden.
• When they are golden, remove from pan and place onto a plate covered with a paper towel.
• Flatten the fried plantain.
• I do this by placing the pieces one at a time between 2 pieces of waxed paper, and flattening with my hands.
• Be careful not to put too much pressure, or the plantain will stick to the waxed paper.
• Just gently flatten them till they are about 1/4" thick.
• Place in the hot oil again and fry until both sides are golden brown.
• Drain on paper towel covered plate (be sure to change paper towels in between the 2 fryings) and sprinkle with salt.
• Serve immediately.
• For an extra special treat, eat the patacones with a thin slice of queso blanco (salty white cheese) on top.

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.

PLANTAIN CHIPS PATACONES

Steps:

• Cut off the ends of the plantains and then carefully cut a slit down the length of the skin without cutting into the plantain itself. Using a wooden spoon, pry up the edges of the peel and pull off the skin. Once the peel is removed cut the plantain crosswise into 3 or 4 pieces, each about 2 to 3 inches long.
• Heat the oil in a medium skillet over high heat until it shimmers, about 3 minutes. Add the plantains and fry them until they turn golden on all sides, about 3 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer them to a paper towel-lined plate to drain, then place between 2 sheets of parchment paper. Reduce the heat to medium.
• Flatten the plantains by pressing down on them with a heavy-bottomed pan. Return 1/2 of the flattened plantains to the oil and re-fry until deep golden on both sides, about 4 to 6 minutes. Transfer back to the paper towel-lined plate to drain and repeat with the remaining flattened plantains. Sprinkle with salt and serve immediately.

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.

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 (FRIED GREEN PLANTAINS) - PANAMá

Steps:

• Put the 4 cups warm water & ~1 Tbsp salt in a large bowl. Set aside.
• Cut ends from each plantain w/ a small, sharp knife, then cut lengthwise slit thru peel. Beginning at slit, pry off peel (getting your thumb between the peel & the plantain helps).
• Cut plantains crosswise into 1-inch thick pieces & place in bowl of warm salted water. Let sit 15-20 minute (This step adds flavor & also gets rid of some of the starch from the plantains.).
• Heat oil (enough so that it is about 1/2" deep) in a 10-12" heavy skillet over MEDIUM heat until the oil is just hot enough to sizzle when a small "tester" piece of plantain is added.
• Remove plantain pieces from the water & blot (completely) dry w/ paper towels.
• Place plantain pieces in the oil (do not crowd the skillet w/ plantains; do 2 batches if needed). Fry plantains, turning occasionally w/ tongs, until tender & just beginning to turn golden color, ~5-7 minutes.
• Remove plantain pieces w/ tongs to a flat (non-stick) surface. Spray the bottom of a glass tumbler or mug w/ non-stick cooking spray. Using gentle pressure, flatten each plantain piece to ~1/4" thickness. Slide glass off of plantain.
• Return flattened plantains to oil (over MEDIUM heat). Fry (turning occasionally w/ tongs) until plantains are golden brown in color, 3-4 minutes.
• Transfer plantains to a plate w/ a fresh paper towel, but DO NOT BLOT. Sprinkle w/ salt & serve immediately, w/ ketchup (optional).