Garlicky Mashed Plantains
Serves 6
Ingredients
For the Mojo Criollo (Garlic Sauce)*
- 12 garlic cloves, peeled, finely chopped & crushed
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp ground black pepper
- 1 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 cup naranja agria* (bitter orange juice)
For the Plantains
- 3 large semi-ripe plantains (yellow skins), cut into chunks (peels on)
- 1 qt water
- 6 whole garlic cloves, peeled
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp ground black pepper
- 1 cup Mojo Criollo (Garlic Sauce)* + extra for serving
Equipment
- potato masher
How-to
Make Mojo Criollo (Garlic Sauce) - Makes about 2 cups
- Peel and finely chop the garlic cloves. Then press down with a knife to crush the garlic
- Add salt and pepper and mash everything together using the flat side of a knife blade or a mortar and pestle. Set aside
- Heat the extra virgin olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat until it is fragrant
- Add the garlic mixture and cook just until the garlic is tender; be careful not to burn it
- Add the orange juice, stir and bring to a boil. Once mixture reaches a boil, turn off the heat and you are done
Make Mashed Plantains
- In a large, deep pot combine the plantains, water, garlic and spices and bring to a boil over medium-high heat and allow to boil 10 minutes
- Reduce heat to low and continue to cook slowly for another 30 minutes or until plantains are soft
- Remove from heat, drain the water
- Peel the plantains and discard the peels
- With a potato masher, coarsely mash the plantains and garlic cloves
- Mix in 1 cup of the mojo criollo sauce
- Reserve the remaining mojo criollo for serving either atop individual plates or in a sauce boat alongside