Coconut Soup With Caramelized Plantains Recipes

COCONUT SUGAR CARAMELIZED PLANTAINS

Steps:

• Heat a large cast iron or metal skillet over medium-high heat and chop your plantains in 1/2 inch slices.
• Add to a mixing bowl and toss with coconut sugar, cinnamon, and sea salt.
• Once the skillet is hot, add coconut oil and only as many plantains as will fit comfortably in the pan without crowding. Cook for 2-3 minutes on each side or until browned and caramelized.
• Serve warm with dairy-free ice cream or coconut whipped cream. Best when fresh, though leftovers will keep in the fridge covered for a few days.

CARAMELIZED PLANTAIN CUPCAKES WITH A CHOCOLATE HAZELNUT CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

Steps:

• 2 tablespoons finely crushed plantain chips
• For the caramelized plantains: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Mix the melted butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon in a small bowl. Put the sliced plantains in an 8-inch square baking dish and pour in the butter mixture. Toss the plantains until well coated with the mixture. Bake in the preheated oven until caramelized, about 15 to 20 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and mash the plantains with a fork. The yield should be about 2 cups mashed caramelized plantains.
• For the cupcakes:
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line 16 cups of 2 standard 12-capacity cupcake pans with liners.
• Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt to a sifter and sift into a large bowl.
• In another large bowl add the softened butter and granulated sugar and mix, with a hand mixer, until smooth. Beat in the eggs, buttermilk, vanilla extract, and the mashed caramelized plantains until the batter is smooth. Slowly stir in the sifted flour mixture and mix until smooth.
• Evenly spoon the cupcake batter into the 16 liners, filling the cups 3/4 full. Bake until a toothpick in the center comes out clean and the tops are light golden brown, about 22 to 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes in the pan. Transfer the cupcakes to a cooling rack and cool completely, about 20 minutes.
• For the chocolate hazelnut cream cheese frosting: Add the cream cheese, chocolate hazelnut spread and vanilla extract to a large bowl and beat with a hand mixer until smooth. Slowly mix in the powdered sugar, scraping down sides of the bowl, as needed, until the frosting is smooth.
• Assemble the cupcakes: Put the frosting in a pastry bag fitted with a 1/2-inch diameter decorating tip. Frost the cooled cupcakes and sprinkle the top of each cupcake with crushed plantain chips. Arrange on a serving platter and serve.

"SOUP TO NUTS" COCONUT SOUP WITH CARAMELIZED NUTS

Steps:

• Nuts:
• Place sugar into heavy bottomed saucepan and cook over a high flame until sugar begins to change color and become golden brown.
• Add cashews, butter, cayenne pepper and pinch of salt. Stir to coat all the nuts with evenly with the sugar. Spread onto waxed paper lined sheet pan and allow to set. Be careful as the nuts will be very hot. When cool break up into small bite-size clumps and set aside.
• Soup:
• Melt the butter in a large sauce pot, over medium heat, and add the coconut. Toast the coconut until golden brown. Add whole milk, coconut milk, coconut ice cream, and spices. Lower the heat and stir constantly until the mixture is heated through.
• Place in serving bowls and garnish with caramelized nuts and chopped mint.

PLANTAIN SOUP

Steps:

• Heat the olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat for 1 minute. Add the onions, carrots, celery, and garlic and cook until the onions are soft and browned, 8 minutes, stirring often with a wooden spoon. Add the chicken stock, plantains, cilantro, bay leaves and cumin, and bring to a boil, reduce the heat to the lowest setting and cook at a bare simmer, uncovered, until the plantains are very tender, 45 minutes.
• Transfer half of the soup to a blender and puree until smooth. *When blending hot liquids, fill the blender less than halfway full, place the lid askew and pulse the liquid at first to release some heat, otherwise, your blender top could pop! Stir the pureed soup back into the pot with the remaining chunky soup and mix well. If the soup is too thick for your taste add more chicken stock. Season with salt and pepper and serve.
• *When blending hot liquids: Remove liquid from the heat and allow to cool for at least 5 minutes. Transfer liquid to a blender or food processor and fill it no more than halfway. If using a blender, release one corner of the lid. This prevents the vacuum effect that creates heat explosions. Place a towel over the top of the machine, pulse a few times then process on high speed until smooth.