Patacon Recipes

Steps:

• For the mojo: Combine the lime juice, green pepper, white onion, oil, garlic, japaleños, salt, and 1/3 cup of water in a medium bowl and whisk until the salt is dissolved.
• For the pork belly: Place the pork belly in the mojo and marinate for 1 hour.
• Bring 7 cups water to a boil in a large pot. Add the pork belly and cook for 45 to 50 minutes. Drain and let cool for 20 minutes.
• Deep-fry the pork belly until golden brown.
• For the patacon: Deep-fry the plantains until golden brown, about 7 minutes. Place the fried plantains on a table in a straight line. Place a cheesecloth on top and use a rolling pin to mash plantains. Cool for 30 minutes, then fry again before serving.
• For the rice: Bring 1 cup water to a boil in a saucepan. Stir in the rice and salt and reduce the heat to medium low. Cover and cook until the rice is tender, 15 to 20 minutes.
• For the guacamole: Scoop the avocado flesh into a low serving bowl and mash with a fork. Add the olive oil, lime juice, jalapeño and some cilantro; stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper.
• For the pico de gallo: Put the tomatoes, red onion, jalapeno, olive oil, lime juice and some cilantro in a mixing bowl; stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper.
• To assemble: Arrange the deep-fried pork belly on the patacon. Serve with a side of rice, guacamole and pico de gallo.

Steps:

• Cut off the ends of the plantains and then carefully cut a slit down the length of the skin without cutting into the plantain itself. Using a wooden spoon, pry up the edges of the peel and pull off the skin. Once the peel is removed cut the plantain crosswise into 3 or 4 pieces, each about 2 to 3 inches long.
• Heat the oil in a medium skillet over high heat until it shimmers, about 3 minutes. Add the plantains and fry them until they turn golden on all sides, about 3 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer them to a paper towel-lined plate to drain, then place between 2 sheets of parchment paper. Reduce the heat to medium.
• Flatten the plantains by pressing down on them with a heavy-bottomed pan. Return 1/2 of the flattened plantains to the oil and re-fry until deep golden on both sides, about 4 to 6 minutes. Transfer back to the paper towel-lined plate to drain and repeat with the remaining flattened plantains. Sprinkle with salt and serve immediately.

Steps:

• Boil beans in water to cover with bay leaf until tender; drain. Saute onions and garlic in olive oil until tender. Add cumin and oregano; cook for 2 minutes. Add tomato paste and cooked beans. Puree in a food processor.
• Fry cooked plantains in a skillet at 300 degrees F until tender. Place between 2 wet towels and roll to 1/4 inch thickness with a rolling pin to create a round "dough" of plantain. Return to pan and cook for 3 minutes on each side or until edges are crisp.
• To serve, spread puree over plantains. Scramble eggs in a non-stick pan, and place on top of plantains. Sprinkle with cheese.

Steps:

• For the Pulled Pork: Cut up the pork in small pieces and put into a large Dutch oven. Add the Sofrito (see recipe below), water, Worcestershire, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, paprika, black pepper and salt. Toss to coat the pork. Refrigerate and marinate for at least 8 hours up to 2 days. (The longer you marinate, the better.)
• Preheat the oven 350 degrees F. Cover the Dutch oven and braise the pork until very tender, about 3 hours and 30 minutes.
• Once you take the pork out, it will be so juicy and tender you will be able to separate it with the gentle touch of a fork.
• For the Garlic Sauce: Blend the scallions, mayonnaise, water and garlic together until smooth (then sample and taste the power of this sauce!). Refrigerate for up to 3 days.
• For the Plantains: Fill a large pot about halfway with oil, attach a deep fat-fry thermometer and heat to 350 degrees F. Peel and cut plantains in half lengthwise. Add in batches to the hot oil and fry until golden, about 6 minutes. Remove and flatten each half (I like to use a heavy flat dish). Return batches of the flattened plantains back into the oil about for another minute. Remove to paper towel-lined plate and set aside until ready to
• use.
• Assemble: Place a piece of fried/flattened plantain on a plate, top with lettuce, tomatoes, cheese and pulled pork. Drizzle with ketchup and garlic sauce and sandwich with another plantain. Enjoy the messy deliciousness. You could eat with your hands, but I prefer using knife and fork to keep appearances.
• Finely chop the green onions, crushed red pepper, garlic and onion in a food processor. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and cook, stirring frequently, until the onion is soft and translucent. Cool and refrigerate for up to 1 week.

Steps:

• Add 1 1/2 inches of oil to a large heavy-bottomed saucepan or medium Dutch oven and heat over medium heat until a deep-frying thermometer reaches 350 degrees F. Drop in the plantains and cook, flipping halfway through, until they're light golden brown with light brown streaks, 6 to 7 minutes. Remove to a cutting board to rest until cool enough to handle. Keep the oil at 350 degrees F.
• Sprinkle the plantains all over with garlic salt. Make a small cut down each side of each plantain half to ensure they will flatten evenly on both sides. Using the flat surface of a small cutting board or sturdy plate, flatten the plantains so they are about 1/4 inch thick. Return the plantains to the oil and fry until the softer parts have a little crunch, about 2 minutes. Remove to a paper towel-lined plate and sprinkle with another pinch of garlic salt.
• Combine the ketchup and mayonnaise in a small bowl.
• Spread 1 tablespoon of the pink sauce on one side of each plantain half. Top 4 of the plantain halves each with one-quarter of the avocado slices, 1/3 cup of the chicken, 1/4 cup of the shredded lettuce, 2 of the tomato slices and 2 tablespoons of the cheese. Top with the remaining plantain halves. Serve immediately.

Steps:

• Place a plate, upside-down, onto a work surface.
• Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Fry plantain slices in the hot oil until slightly browned, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Transfer plantain slices using a slotted spoon onto the upside-down plate, reserving oil in the skillet. Place a second plate, right-side up, onto the plantains. Smash the plantain slices by gently pressing the top plate into the bottom plate.
• Place the smashed plantains in the hot oil and fry until browned, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Transfer fried plantains to a paper towel-lined plate and sprinkle salt over plantains.

Steps:

• Peel Plantain, and cut it width wise into 3 or 4 pieces.
• I have found that the easiest way to peel the plantain is to cut roughly 1/4" off of each end of the plantain (the very tips), and then carefully, without cutting into the plantain itself, slicing the skin down one side.
• Once you have slit the skin on one side, you can gently pry the peel off with your fingers.
• Heat 1" of vegetable oil on medium heat until hot.
• Fry plantain pieces on both sides for about 3 minutes, or until the pieces are golden.
• When they are golden, remove from pan and place onto a plate covered with a paper towel.
• Flatten the fried plantain.
• I do this by placing the pieces one at a time between 2 pieces of waxed paper, and flattening with my hands.
• Be careful not to put too much pressure, or the plantain will stick to the waxed paper.
• Just gently flatten them till they are about 1/4" thick.
• Place in the hot oil again and fry until both sides are golden brown.
• Drain on paper towel covered plate (be sure to change paper towels in between the 2 fryings) and sprinkle with salt.
• Serve immediately.
• For an extra special treat, eat the patacones with a thin slice of queso blanco (salty white cheese) on top.