Sweet plantains are one of my favorite foods. They are a traditional South American side dish– pure Latin comfort food. Whenever the Jury Room, aka my firm’s cafeteria, has maduros on the menu, I forgo all other New York City eateries and line up because I know I’m in for some delicious Latin home cooking. Sweet plantains are soft, slightly caramelized and pair incredibly well with, chicken, black bean soup or simply on their own. They’re easy to make if you know what you’re looking for. In order for them to be sweet, rather than like potatoes, the plantain’s skin has to be very ripe, almost black, with only little flecks of yellow. Maduro is the Spanish word for ripe. If you buy a green one, you will have the savory version of the dish. Usually maduros are fried, but I baked mine with the chicken I had made for the main dish and then transferred the molten flesh of the plantain to a dry, hot pan for about a minute on each side so the sugars would caramelize. All they require is a little finesse (typically nothing more than a little salt and olive oil if you choose) before the natural sugars form a molten crust that will make your salivary glands spew.
Ingredients:
- 1 very ripe plantain with black skin
- Canola or corn oil
Directions:
Healthy version (With less oil): Preheat oven to 350F. Cut a slit in the plantain’s skin from top to bottom, being careful not to cut the plantain. Put in oven for 30 minutes. Remove flesh from skin and cut into slices. Heat up a small pan, adding a tiny bit of oil if you wish and sear on both sides for about a minute. Add salt. Serve hot.
Regular version: Heat enough oil in a skillet so that the oil is about ¼ of an inch deep. Peel the black skin from the plantain and slice it diagonally into rounds that are about ½ inch thick. When a drop of water sizzles in the oil, add the plantain slices and cook until the bottom is golden brown. Turn over each slice and cook until both sides are evenly golden, with a hint of caramelization on the edges. Remove from oil and transfer to paper towels to drain; pat off any excess oil. Serve hot.
These look amazing (by the way, your photography is stunning). Can you believe I have never cooked plantain? Shame on me! We can get them here in Spain in the big supermarkets (too far for me) but on Thursday we head to England for a few weeks and just a few minutes walk from our little home there is a wonderful Caribbean food shop – so I am going to buy me some plantain and cook them for the first time…you have inspired me 🙂
Thank you so much! I don’t cook them often. I usually leave it as a treat that I find made by someone else. Sometimes it’s best to have someone else cook for you. My mother-in-law is Colombian and she often makes maduros as a side-dish. Have fun in England! You’ll have to let me know how they turn out!
When I still lived in Paris, my Cameroonese neighbor treated me to a Cameroonese meal of grilled fish, very spicy tomato sauce, rice, and fried plantains. I had never had them before, and have never had them since. They were absolutely fantastic! Thanks for the tip about choosing the plantains, I will know the next time I see some (not often, I am afraid). I had no idea they were common in Latin America!
Oh how lucky you are. That sounds like such a great meal. They are also common in parts of West Africa, like Cameroon! I think the Caribbean is big on plantains too. I think being in the States makes them easier to come by.
Oh but they are easy enough to come by in certain neighborhood, I just never dared to get them as I didn’t know which ones to chose! (the meal was great, the neighbor… hmm… I’d rather not talk about it 🙂 )
LOL. Well I hope you get a hold of one and create new memories over it!
I sure will! 🙂
Oh my goodness you photographs are gorgeous! I have always wanted to make plantains. Seems like every time I see a new post from you I’m so inspired! 🙂 Love your style!
Thanks so much. I can say the same for you. Your food is just gorgeous. Plantains are actually very easy to make.
Yummy! Pictures are great.
Thanks!
Absolutely beautiful and tasty. I love your photography! It’s been a long time since I had them. I shall go shopping! 😀
Thanks, Fae!
I love plantains! These look fantastic.
Then we share another passion! Thanks for dropping by.
¡Qué apetitoso todo tu blog!
Gracias!
We LOVE platanos maduros, but we can only find the green ones here–and I seem to only have intermittent success in ripening them at home (put in a paper bag, leave for 10 years). More often than not they simply begin to go moldy without ripening. If you have a secret technique I’d love to hear it. Anyway, great post. Ken
Thanks for stopping by. I always get them yellow and assumed the green ones just turn yellow like bananas turn brown. I wish I knew a trick. I will look into it!
Preciosas tus fotos!!! me encanta seguir tu blog!!! tu estética me encanta !!!
Gracias, Nena. Y me encanta el tuyo tambien. Tus fotos son preciosas!
Que bonitas fotos!
Gracias por el comento y por seguirme. Voy a ver tu blog ahorita!