Cheese Filled Plantain Fritters Piononos Recipes

Steps:

• For the picadillo: Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and garlic and cook, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon, until the onions are translucent, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the ground beef and break up the meat with a wooden spoon. Stir in the tomato paste, adobo, sazón and tomato sauce until combined. Season with salt and pepper and cook, continuing to break up the meat until it is browned, 7 to 8 minutes.
• Finally, add the cilantro and adjust the seasoning if necessary. Transfer to a large bowl and set aside.
• For the plantains: Pour 1 inch of oil into a large saute pan or deep large skillet and place over medium-high heat. Line a plate with paper towels.
• Using a sharp knife, trim off both ends of a plantain. Slit a thin line down the plantain, cutting just through the skin, and peel back the skin to remove it. Repeat with the remaining plantains. Slice each plantain lengthwise into 5 to 6 strips.
• Fry the plantains 2 or 3 strips at a time until golden brown on both sides, about 5 minutes.
• Transfer to the paper towel-lined plate to drain. Repeat with the remaining strips.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Grease the cups of a 12-cup muffin pan. Line the sides of the muffin cups with the longer plantain strips, then use trimmed pieces to cover the bottoms of the muffin cups.
• Spoon the picadillo into the plantain-lined muffin cups, filling each about three-quarters full. Top each with a spoonful of the beaten eggs to help them hold together.
• Bake until lightly browned, about 15 minutes. Use a knife to loosen the edges before removing the piononos from the muffin cups. Serve hot or warm.

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.

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.

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.