Bolitas De Plátano Verde Recipes

PLATANOS VERDES (FRIED GREEN PLANTAINS)

Steps:

• In a large, deep skillet or wok, heat the oil (about a depth of 1 inch) to 350 degrees.
• Sprinkle the plantain slices with lime juice and place them in the hot oil. Fry until the plantains are golden and slightly soft, but not brown (lower heat if necessary), about 30 seconds. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Keep the oil hot.
• Place the rounds between brown paper and flatten slightly, using a rolling pin or the heel of your hand. Dip the pressed rounds in a bowl of lightly salted water and return them to the skillet. Fry until deep golden, about 45 seconds to 1 minute. Remove with a slotted spoon, drain on paper towels and serve.

GANDULES CON BOLITAS DE PLáTANO (PIGEON PEAS WITH PLANTAIN DUMPLINGS)

Steps:

• Prepare the gandules: Heat oil in a large pot over medium-high. Add sofrito and sauté 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until liquid has evaporated and mixture darkens. Add gandules, vegetable stock, bay leaves and salt, and increase heat to high. Once boiling, lower heat and simmer for 15 minutes.
• While gandules are cooking, prepare the plantain dumplings: Grate or blend plantains in a food processor until smooth or shred them finely on a box grater. Put grated plantains in a medium bowl and add cumin, garlic powder, annatto and salt. Mix well with a fork to incorporate. The mixture will be thick and a little sticky, but the natural starch of the plantain will set up quickly.
• Return the gandules to a rolling simmer. Standing over the pot, scoop out about 1 tablespoon of plantain masa and put directly into the pot. The dumplings will rise immediately to the top. Repeat with the remaining masa, careful to avoid putting fresh dumplings on top of others, until you've used up all of the plantain masa, stirring occasionally to prevent dumplings from sticking to one another.
• Once all the plantain dumplings have been added, lower heat and cook for 2 more minutes, stirring gently a few times. Remove from heat, and adjust salt to taste. Serve as a soup, accompanied by white rice, with avocado slices on the side.