Coconut Soup With Caramelized Plantains Recipes

Steps:

• Peel the plantains and slice them into 1/2-inch rounds. Heat the butter to foaming in a heavy skillet over medium heat. Add the plantain slices to the butter and cook for 5 to 8 minutes, or until they are lightly browned and slightly caramelized. Sprinkle the plantain slices with the sugar, allow the sugar to caramelize slightly, then remove the plantains from the skillet. Serve warm.
• These plantain slices are also particularly good when served over vanilla ice cream, topped with the caramelized butter from the pan.

Steps:

• Cut 1 onion into chunks and the other into dice. Puree 6 of the garlic cloves and keep the remaining 5 whole. Place the cinnamon sticks, whole cloves, onion chunks and whole garlic cloves in the center of a medium square of cheesecloth. Tie the ends together to form a package. Place the fresh thyme in another square of cheesecloth and tie the ends together to enclose. In a large saucepan or stockpot, combine vegetable stock or water and the spice and herb packages, or dried thyme. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cook, uncovered, for thirty minutes. Stir in lentils and continue cooking until they are cooked through but still firm, about 15 minutes. Strain the lentils, reserving the liquid and thyme bundle. In separate saucepan heat olive oil or butter over medium heat. Add onions and saute until lightly browned, about 15 minutes. Add plantains, carrots and salt. Reduce heat to medium-low and continue cooking until the plantains are soft and golden, about 15 minutes. Stir in the pureed garlic and allspice and cook for 5 minutes longer, being careful not to scorch the garlic. Add the lentils, their reserved liquid and the thyme bundle. Bring to a simmer and cook another 15 minutes. Remove from the heat, and remove the thyme bundle. Stir in half of the chopped cilantro. Ladle into bowls and garnish with the remaining chopped cilantro.

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.

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.

Steps:

• In a 9-inch skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the sugar and cook, stirring, until the syrup is a light caramel color, about 2 minutes.
• Add the plantains, tossing to coat, and cook until tender, about 3 minutes. Add the apple juice and boil 1 minute, or until thickened slightly. Stir in the cinnamon and remove from the heat.
• Divide the plantains among 4 dessert plates and spoon the juices over each.

Steps:

• Peel plantains and cut crosswise into 1/4-inch pieces. Place in an oven-safe bowl and add 1/4 cup sugar, lemon juice, and cinnamon. Stir to coat plantain slices, cover, and place in the refrigerator for 2 hours.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Place covered bowl in the oven and bake for 25 minutes.
• Grease a cookie sheet and sprinkle coconut in a thin layer, to allow for even toasting. Place cookie sheet in the oven and continue to bake plantains until coconut is lightly browned, 5 to 7 minutes more. Remove both dishes from the oven.
• Portion plantains into bowls. Sprinkle plantains with a thick layer of sugar and use a cooking torch to caramelize the sugar. Top with toasted coconut and serve warm.