Tostones

Name: Tostones
Cook time: P0Y0M0DT0H30M0.000S
Total time: P0Y0M0DT0H30M0.000S
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: caribbean
Ingredients: Vegetable oil, for frying; 4 green plantains, at room temperature (see Cook’s Note); 1/2 cup ketchup; 1/2 cup mayonnaise; 1 garlic clove, minced; Kosher salt, for serving

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Level: Easy

Total: 30 min
Active: 30 min

Yield: 8 servings

The twice-fried crisp, flattened green plantains known as tostones are often served as appetizers and side dishes. For me they are the ultimate Puerto Rico snack. Everyone that’s not from the island is blown away by their taste, but most of all by the treat’s faithful companion, the “mayoketchup,” what I call Caribbean cocktail sauce. 

Level: Easy

Total: 30 min
Active: 30 min

Yield: 8 servings

Ingredients

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Vegetable oil, for frying

4 green plantains, at room temperature (see Cook’s Note)

1/2 cup ketchup 

1/2 cup mayonnaise 

1 garlic clove, minced

Kosher salt, for serving

Directions

Pour 1 1/2 to 2 inches of oil a large saute pan or deep large skillet and place over medium-high heat. Line 2 plates with paper towels.
Meanwhile, place the plantains on a cutting board and cut off the ends. While holding a plantain firmly, slit the peel lengthwise without cutting into the flesh of the plantain. Cut the plantain in half crosswise. Using the tip of your knife, start to loosen the edges of the skin without cutting into the flesh. Remove the peel of the plantain with your hands. Repeat with the remaining plantains.
Slice the plantains into 1-inch rounds. Fry the plantains in batches until just golden brown, about 3 minutes. Transfer to one of the paper towel-lined plates to drain. 
Flatten the plantains in a tostonera or on a cutting board by pressing down on the pieces one at a time with a small plate or the bottom of a clean can.
Working in batches, return the flattened plantains to the saute pan and fry again until they are golden and crisp, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to the second paper towel-lined plate.
Meanwhile, whisk together the mayonnaise, ketchup and garlic in a small bowl and until completely incorporated.
Sprinkle the tostones with salt and serve immediately with the mayo-ketchup on the side.

Cook’s Note

If you've stored your plantains in the refrigerator, the cold can make them very hard to peel, so bring them to room temperature before you start. One trick to warm them up quickly is to soak the plantains in hot tap water for a few minutes to take the chill off.