History:

One week, S. was out of town and I was buying myself groceries. We almost always get groceries together, she picks out the fruit and I pick out the vegetables.

I was grabbing bananas and seemed to have difficulty peeling them, the peel came off in pieces and the banana didn’t taste ripe and sweet. When she got back she laughed…they were plantains!

Now, I’ve eaten fried plantains, cooked plantains, mashed plantains, and even a dessert version of a plantain before! I can thank my time in Venezuela and the few weeks I spent in Colombia for all of the delicious plantain recipes. However, these plantains were the same size as regular US bananas, I couldn’t tell the difference just by appearance!

With the leftover plantains S. fried them up the way her family does in Miami and Colombia, and they were just as delicious as I remember.

Ingredients:

• A ripe medium-sized plantain
• Pinch of salt
• Vegetable Oil
  • 2 fingers deep
  • Enough to cover the slices

Kitchen Needs:

Preparation:

1. Preheat oil in a large, deep skillet (or shallow pot) over medium-high heat.
   • A deep fat fryer would also work if you have one at home..
     • Which I learned later in life wasn’t normal for all families…
       • Thanks Mom and Dad for the delicious fries growing up!
2. Peel the plantains and slice them diagonally into slightly imperfect circles.
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3. Fry the pieces until browned and tender on the bottom.
4. Flip.
   • If you have a deep fat fryer, there is no need to flip.
5. Add a pinch of salt while frying.
6. Remove from skillet when golden.
   • Set on a plate covered with a paper towel to drain excess oil.
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7. Let cool slightly before eating!
8. Enjoy!!