Black Bean Muneta With Fried Plantain Chips Recipes

BLACK BEANS

Steps:

• For the beans: Place the beans in a bowl or pot, cover with cold water and allow to soak overnight. Drain and rinse before proceeding. (Alternatively, add the beans to a medium pot and cover with hot water. Bring to a boil, and then boil for 2 minutes. Turn off the heat, cover the pot and allow the beans to sit for 1 hour. Drain the beans and rinse them with cold water before proceeding.)
• In a medium pot, add the soaked beans, chicken broth, 2 cups water, the garlic, onions and green, red and yellow bell peppers. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer for 1 1/2 hours. Then add the chile powder, cumin and salt and stir. Cover and continue simmering until the liquid level is to your liking, about another hour. Taste for seasoning and add more of what it needs.
• For the fixins: Serve in a bowl with sour cream, cilantro, lime wedges and diced bell peppers on the side.

FRIED PLANTAIN CHIPS

Steps:

• In a small bowl, stir together the garam masala, smoked paprika, salt and pepper and set aside.
• Using a mandoline or a sharp knife, slice the plantains into very thin slices, about 1/8-inch thickness.
• Pour the oil into a large, heavy bottomed pot and heat it to 350 degrees F. The oil level should come one-third of the way up the sides of the pot. If there is too much oil, it will overflow when the chips are added. Alternatively, use a deep-fryer.
• Fry the plantain slices in batches in the hot oil until crispy and golden, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir them a bit while they fry to prevent them from sticking together. Remove the plantains and drain on a paper towel-lined baking sheet. Sprinkle with the spice mixture and serve.
• Alternatively, the plantain chips can be cooled and stored in an airtight container for up to 10 days.

BLACK BEAN MUNETA WITH FRIED PLANTAIN CHIPS

Steps:

• To make the beans, place them in a large saucepan with 2 cups of water and the bay leaf. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until tender, about 1 1/2 hours. Add only a little water, if needed, to keep the beans barely covered while they cook. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a medium-size nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Stir in the cumin and oregano and cook a few minutes longer.
• When the beans are cooked, stir in the onion mixture, 1 teaspoon of salt and the pepper and cook for 5 minutes more. Let cool. Place the beans in a food processor and pulse until pureed. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Scrape into a serving bowl and garnish with cilantro.
• To make the chips, heat enough oil in a large skillet to make a depth of 1/8 inch. Working in batches, add the plantain slices to the skillet and cook until browned and crisp, about 2 minutes per side. Drain on paper towels and sprinkle with salt. Serve immediately with the bean dip.

PLANTAIN AND BLACK BEAN FRITTERS

Steps:

• Drain the bean liquid and rinse. Heat a small saucepan with enough oil to coat the bottom of the pan, over medium heat. Add the onions and garlic and cook until translucent, about 4 minutes. Add the beans, a dash of oregano (if using) and water to cover 2 inches above the beans. Bring to boil over high heat, reduce the heat to low, and cook partly covered, until tender. Keep water in reserve to replenish the cooking liquid as necessary so the beans are always covered by at least 1-inch. The beans should be cooked until tender, about 1 hour. Drain excess liquid. Place the beans in a bowl and mash until pureed. Season with salt and black pepper and keep at room temperature.
• To assemble the plate: Heat a saute pan over medium-high heat. Add enough oil to cover the bottom of the pan. Place the fritters in the hot oil and cook until golden brown on each side. Reduce to low flame and continue to cook until the fritter is hot throughout. Serve immediately, with a dollop of sour cream and cured red onions.
• Plantain Dough: Rinse the plantains with the skins on. Place the plantains in a sauce pan and cover with hot water. Place the saucepan over high heat and cook until the skins of the plantain start to open. Drain the liquid and lay the plantains to cool. Peel the plaintains while the plantains are still warm, mash in a bowl to form a dough. If the dough is too wet add bread crumbs until workable. Divide the dough into 8 balls. Using a clean flat surface, flatten the balls into round circles 1-inch thick. Spoon 1/4 teaspoon of the black bean mixture in the center of the plantain. Fold the edges of the plantain over the center of the plantain to close the bean mixture inside. If you can't cover all the bean mix, take a piece of plantain mash and place over the beans, while forming into a 1-inch thick round circle.
• Cured Red Onions: Place the sliced red onions in a small shallow container. Pour the lime juice over the onions, and season with salt. Mix well to combine the flavors. Cover and let sit in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 days.

CHEF JOHN'S FRIED SWEET PLANTAINS

Steps:

• Heat oil in a heavy-duty skillet over high heat. Place 4 to 5 plantain slices in a single layer in the pan and cook until golden brown and tender, 4 to 6 minutes per side. Transfer to a paper-towel lined plate. Repeat with remaining plantain slices.
• Sprinkle cooked plantains with salt and drizzle with lime.