Name: Plantain Nacho Fries
Cook time: P0Y0M0DT0H50M0.000S
Total time: P0Y0M0DT1H10M0.000S
Yield: 8 servings
Ingredients: 3 ripe plantains (about 2 1/2 pounds) (see Cook’s Note); 3 green plantains (about 2 pounds); 1 tablespoon olive oil; 1 medium white onion, diced; 1 jalapeño, seeds removed, diced; 1 1/2 pounds ground beef (80/20); 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped; 1/4 teaspoon brown sugar; 1/4 teaspoon paprika; 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin; 1/4 teaspoon chili powder; 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder; 1/4 teaspoon onion powder; 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano; Kosher salt; 1/2 small red bell pepper, diced; 1/2 small green bell pepper, diced; 12 ounces evaporated milk; 6 ounces Gouda cheese, shredded; 6 ounces yellow Cheddar cheese, shredded; 2 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch; 2 tablespoons unsalted butter; Vegetable oil, for frying; 2 limes, juiced; 1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped, for serving; 2 avocados, sliced, for serving

Directions

Special equipment:

a deep-fry thermometer

Peel the ripe and green plantains, cut them in half and cut again into french fry strips. Set aside.
Pour the olive oil in a high-sided skillet and place over medium-high heat. Add 1/2 the onion and 1/2 the jalapeño, stirring occasionally until soft, about 1 minute. Add the ground beef, garlic, brown sugar, paprika, cumin, chili, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano and 1 tablespoon salt. Continue to stir constantly until the beef is browned, about 8 minutes. Scoop the ground beef out of the pan and transfer it to a large heatproof bowl.
Add the remaining onion and jalapeño to the same skillet and place over medium-high heat. Add the red and green bell pepper and stir occasionally until soft, about 6 minutes. Set aside.
Pour 1 cup of the evaporated milk in a small saucepan and place over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally. When hot, add the Gouda and Cheddar and stir until melted, about 6 minutes. In a small bowl, whisk the remaining evaporated milk with the cornstarch until well combined. Whisk the cornstarch mixture into the cheese sauce and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened, about 5 minutes. Add the bell pepper mix and stir until combined and heated through, about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat, add the butter and stir until melted and combined.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Place a wire rack over a sheet pan.
Heat 2 inches of vegetable oil in a large Dutch oven over high heat until it registers 375 degrees F on a deep-fry thermometer. Working in batches of three, add plantain fries to the oil and cook, moving the fries only once with a wire spider, until they are just slightly golden brown, 1 to 1 1/2 minutes. Transfer the fries to the rack to drain. Repeat with the remaining plantain, allowing the oil to return to 375 degrees F between batches.
Pour 1/4 cup salt, the lime juice and 1 1/2 cups water into a medium glass bowl. Mix until the salt fully dissolves. In batches of three again, dunk your fried plantain fries in the water, remove and shake off excess water. Make sure the fries are very dry as any excess water could cause the oil to spatter dangerously. Carefully fry the plantains again in the hot oil for 30 seconds per batch. Transfer them to the rack again to drain. Sprinkle each batch with a pinch of salt straight out of the fryer. Repeat with the remaining plantain fries, allowing the oil to return to 375 degrees F between batches.
Transfer the fries to a sheet pan, top with the ground beef, pour the cheese sauce over and transfer to the oven to heat for 5 minutes. Sprinkle with chopped cilantro and serve immediately with avocado.

Cook’s Note

When choosing your sweet plantains go for yellow ones with fewer dark spots. You want the sweet taste but also flesh that’s firm enough to hold its shape as a french fry.