Cheese Filled Plantain Fritters Piononos Recipes

FRIED PLANTAINS WITH CHEESE: PLANTANOS FRITOS CON QUESO

Steps:

• In a small bowl, combine the crema fresca and the cumin. Season with salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
• Bring the water to a boil and lightly salt it. Add the plantain pieces, and cook until the slices are soft, about 15 minutes. Drain the plantains, let cool, and push them through a ricer. Form the mashed plantains into small golf-ball sized portions. Refrigerate the plantanos until completely chilled and rested, about 15 to 20 minutes.
• Line a tortilla press with plastic wrap, and press out each piece of dough. Set aside until all the dough is used.
• Place a small wedge of queso blanco in the center of each plantain circle. Fold the dough around the cheese like an envelope. Roll the package, sealing the edges and making sure the cheese is completely enclosed.
• In a deep saucepot, heat enough oil to deep-fry the plantain packages. When the oil reaches 375 degrees F, fry the plantains until they are golden brown all over, about 2 minutes. Drain the plantains on paper toweling.
• Serve drizzled with the cumin-crema fresca sauce.

CHEESE FILLED PLANTAIN FRITTERS (PIONONOS)

Steps:

• Peel the plantains. Slice each one lengthwise into 4 equal slices.
• In a frying pan, lightly fry the slices on each side until slices are pliable, not brittle.
• Remove the slices and drain on paper towels until cool enough to handle.
• Form each slice into a ring, with ends overlapping about an inch. Secure with toothpicks.
• Stuff each ring with cheddar cheese. Squeeze the cheese together slightly so that it will not fall apart.
• In a bowl, mix together the eggs, salt, flour and water.
• Cover the open ends of the piononos with the flour and egg mix.
• Fry the piononos on each end until it is sealed and golden.

FRIED PLANTAINS WITH SPICED BEEF: PIONONOS

Steps:

• In a saute pan, melt butter and oil and saute plantains until golden brown. Remove and place on absorbent paper and season with salt and pepper
• Add more oil, if needed, to saute pan and when it is hot, add onions, peppers, and garlic, and saute until onions become translucent.
• Add meat and saute until meat crumbles and browns.
• Add tomatoes and season lightly. Cook until meat is tender or about 10 more minutes. If meat releases too much moisture, dust with flour and cook for an additional 10 minutes.
• Remove from stove, add the olives and capers, and season with vinegar Mix well and adjust seasonings as needed.
• Heat a 6-inch non-stick omelet pan over medium-high heat. Add 2 teaspoons oil. When hot, add 3 to 4 ounces of meat mixture to pan and heat thoroughly.
• Pour about 6 ounces (2 beaten eggs) over meat mixture in the pan to make a sort of omelet. Reduce heat to low-medium to allow egg to cook evenly. When "omelet" is firm, flip it over and let cook until firm on the other side.
• Remove pan from heat and slide "omelet" out of pan onto a clean cutting board. Using a 6-inch round metal cutter, cut a neat circle out of the cooked egg. Using an offset metal spatula, place any scrap pieces cut from the egg onto the center of a heated dinner plate. Carefully place the circle of egg on top. Make a criss-cross of fried plantains on top of egg. Continue making "omelets" until all the mixture and eggs are used. Serve immediately.

CHEESE-FILLED GREEN PLANTAINS

Steps:

• Bring the whole plantains with enough water to cover to a boil; reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until the plantains are tender and the skins have cracked, about 45 minutes. Drain and set aside until cool enough to handle.
• Heat oil in a deep-fryer or large saucepan to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• Peel the plantains and mash with the salt and pepper until no lumps remain. Roll the mashed plantain into 3 tablespoon size balls around a cube of cheese. Cook the plantain balls in the hot oil in batches until they are golden brown and float to the surface, about 5 minutes. Move the plantain balls around as they cook to ensure they brown evenly. Drain the cooked plantain balls on a paper towel-lined plate to cool slightly.

MOSA (PLANTAIN FRITTERS)

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, whisk together the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
• Cut off the ends of each plantain. Use a sharp knife to slice the peel along the length of each plantain without cutting into the flesh. Remove peels and discard. Slice plantains crosswise into 1-inch pieces. Using a mortar and pestle or a food processor, pound or pulse the plantains into a coarse purée. Avoid making the purée too smooth, especially if using a food processor.
• Set aside 1/4 cup scallions for garnish. Stir or pulse the remaining 1/4 cup scallions, the garlic, ginger and Scotch bonnet pepper into the purée in the mortar or processor. Add the purée to the cornmeal mixture, and stir until the batter is just combined and resembles a shaggy dough. Fold in the sour cream.
• Line a sheet pan with paper towels or set a wire rack in the pan. Heat 1 1/2 inches of oil in a medium saucepan or deep skillet over medium-high to 325 degrees. If you don't have a deep-fry thermometer, test the oil temperature by lowering a pea-size drop of batter into the oil. Bubbles should form around the batter, and the drop should float to the surface.
• Working in batches to avoid crowding the pan, use a small dessert spoon to drop heaping teaspoon-size portions of the batter into the hot oil and fry, turning frequently, until golden brown, about 5 minutes. The batter should not darken too quickly or take too long to cook through, so maintain the oil temperature by raising or lowering the heat as needed. Transfer the mosas to the paper towels or rack using a slotted spoon or tongs. Repeat with the remaining batter.
• Serve warm, garnished with the remaining scallions, with fry sauce alongside.

PLANTAIN FRITTERS

Steps:

• Place plantains in a food processor; cover and process until smooth. Add the flour, onion, salt and pepper; cover and process until blended (batter will be moist). , In an electric skillet or deep-fat fryer, heat 1/4 in. of oil to 375°. Drop tablespoonfuls of batter, a few at a time, into hot oil. Cook until golden brown, 1 minute on each side. Drain on paper towels.