plantains

July 14, 2009

Cheesy Chicken & Plantain Casserole

mel entree, recipe casserole, cheese, chicken, peppers, plantains

Cheesy Chicken & Plantain Casserole

Although I wish I could, view I can’t take credit for this idea. My co-worker Omar was telling me about how he loves his mom’s Puerto Rican cooking and somehow we got on the subject of plantains. Because when a Cuban and Puerto Rican are talking about food, overweight you somehow always end up on the subject of plantains, you know?

Omar explained how his mom makes a very delicious Plantain PastelÃ³n, or plantain casserole. As soon as I heard those magical words – Plantain Casserole – I knew I had to make it as soon as possible! Ripe plantains are like nothing else. They’re sweet and starchy, like a tropical-flavored sweet potato. They mash up well and I knew they’d make the perfect base for a casserole.

I baked some ripe plantains and topped them with chicken sauteed with onions, peppers and garlic. And because this is a Latin American casserole, I threw in some beans. Finally, a casserole wouldn’t be a casserole without cheese on top. When it came out of the oven, it was gorgeous. Exactly what I was hoping for with it’s browned, crisp edges and melted cheesy crust. So, next time you see that big pile of ugly-looking plantains, grab a few for this casserole. You will thank me!

March 20, 2009

Chorizo Radicchio Shrimp with Plantains

mel entree, recipe, sides & bites chorizo, plantains, radicchio, shrimp

Chorizo Radicchio Shrimp with Plantains

This is one of those recipes where you think…Do these things really go together? I came up with this recipe by accident. I had bought an assortment of ingredients to use in other dishes, malady but things got hectic and I never got around to them. Not to be wasteful, I sauteed some chorizo with garlic, added shrimp and some ribbons of radicchio. Then I tasted. Not bad. Pretty good actually.

But what should accompany my shrimp and chorizo? Of course pasta was the first thing that came to mind, but I’ve been posting so many pasta recipes lately, I thought I’d give y’all a break. Only other thing I had on hand were some just ripe plantains. The sweetness was a perfect contrast to the slightly bitter radicchio.

And so there it is, the story of the accidental recipe. I actually love the way it turned out. Spicy, a little sweet and really unique. It also goes to show that cooking without a recipe just requires a little bit of thought. Here are some pointers from the bitchin’ Camero kitchen:

Think about Texture. You want some kind of contrast between soft and firm. Nothing too mushy or too tough. In this recipe, the plantains are soft, the chorizo is a little tough and the shrimp add an almost-crunch. Another traditional combination? Steak and mashed potatoes.
Color. You want as much color as possible on your plate. Not only will it be prettier, it will also be more nutritious. Contrast is key – no one likes an all-brown plate of food.
Taste constantly. Taste your meal while your cooking it (make sure all meat is cooked!) so you can adjust the salt and flavoring as you go. Not spicy enough? Add red pepper flakes. Too bitter? Try some honey. Add flavor in small doses. You can always add more, but it’s hard to take it out.
Flavor. Balance your flavors. Think of salty, sweet, bitter, spicy and acidic. Pay the most attention to your food’s acidity. Most people will think a dish needs salt, but usually some citus zest or juice or a dash of vinegar will make all the other flavors pop.

Cooking should be fun. Play around in the kitchen and experiment by changing up a favorite recipe or coming up with your own from scratch. Sometimes, it won’t work out, but don’t be discouraged. Order pizza and try again tomorrow.

February 2, 2009

Mojo Mashed Plantains

mel entree, recipe, sides & bites Cuban food, garlic, lime, mojo, orange, plantains

Mojo Mashed Plantains

When Tom, capsule a born and bred Michigander, illness moved to NYC for grad school he gawked at the piles of black, pathopsychology “rotten” bananas sold at the bodega around the corner from his itty-bitty studio. Who would buy these? Why didn’t the bodega just throw them out? Why is produce in NYC so gross?

It wasn’t until he met me and received his education on Cuban food that he realized those black, rotting bananas were actually plantains. And plantains are quite delicious. Today’s plantains are great for a simple weeknight side dish. They’re boiled until tender, then mashed with garlic, orange juice, lime juice and drizzled with olive oil. Super easy, but super flavorful. The plantains are sweet, but not too sweet, and the citrus and garlic add just the right about of bite.

We ate ours with Parmesan-breaded tilapia and a simple side salad. A yummy and economical Recession meal.

March 19, 2008

basil lime shrimp with plantains

mel entree, recipe basil, lime, plantains, shrimp

basil lime shrimp w/plantains

I love plantains. They can be prepared both green (startchy) or over-ripe (sweet). They’re rich in fiber and potassium which makes them a nutritious vegetable, symptoms but the sweet ones taste like an indulgent carb.

For dinner last night, stomach I simply peeled and halved a few over-ripe plantains and baked them. I also made a quick sautee of shrimp, lime juice, Thai red curry paste and basil. The spicy and tangy shrimp were a nice contrast to the sweet basil and plantains and the whole meal came together in under 25 minutes.