PERK UP YOUR MENU WITH PLANTAINS

Have you ever  fixed plantains? I had never eaten them in my life  until I went on a second honeymoon to Costa Rica with my second husband.  That was about 25 years ago, and grocery stores in my small Indiana  hometown didn't sell them.   And if I had tried to serve them to patients at the hospital where I was Director of Nutrition Services, they would  have come back uneaten.  Hoosiers in flyover country are mostly meat, potatoes, and noodle people. 

But once I’d been served fish and fried plantains, I was hooked.  Then, as immigration from Latin America increased, I found them hidden away in the produce department of our local supermarket where they started out bright green, lingering in an obscure bin until they were black.  The problem was, most people didn’t know what they were, much less how to cook them.

The most important part of serving plantains is when you buy them.  Too green, and they’ll taste like wood.  Too ripe, and,  they taste like fried bananas— too mushy and sweet for my taste.  For me, a plantain that is yellow with dark spots, but still slightly firm to the touch is just perfect. 

I don’t peel them until the fish is in the oven. Then,  I slice the plantains across every inch and a half, stand them on end and slice down the middle.  Next, heat a thin coat of  a olive oil in a pan on medium heat, and fry the plantains  about a minute or two until they’ve browned on the bottom. Flip them over with and mash them slightly with a spatula until they’re brown on the other side,  and slightly soft,  then drain on paper towels.  Cover with foil and keep them warm until the fish is done, and you’re ready too serve a delicious tropical meal even though it’s snowing outside.

Some plantain recipes on the net call for cups of cooking oil and super ripe plantains.  Way too many calories! Don’t do this if you’re trying to eat lean.  Use the smallest amount of cooking oil possible.  Season with salt and pepper to taste, but be careful if you’re on a low sodium diet. 

The internet has more elaborate plantain recipes that you might like. A Caribbean getaway may not be possible,  but you can enjoy an exotic food right in your own home.