jueves, 8 de julio de 2010

Plantain Patties


People tend to think that making a wholesome vegetarian meal is harder than it really is. This idea came to be because my brother found green plantains on sale 10 for $1 and bought 10. There were 6 left in my father's fridge and I thought...what can I do with these...? I know, I'll make plantain patties! This was a complete invention, but I was very happy the result, and not one patty was left out of the 12-14 that were made, which is always a good sign!

Ingredients for Plantain Patties:

-6 peeled and mashed semi-green plantains
-2 eggs
-5 diced scallions
-1/2 yellow onion
-a whole head of garlic
-fresh parsley
-fresh cilantro
-1/2 cup of white flour
-a spoon of salt
-pepper
-a spoon of paprika
-vegetable oil for frying

Ingredients for Sauteed Mushrooms:


-a package of whole mushrooms
-1/2 yellow onion
-5 pieces of garlic
-salt and pepper to taste
-olive oil for cooking


How to make Plantain Patties:

Take the semi-green plantains and make a slice on the side and pop the plantain out of it's peel. If the peel doesn't come off then use a knife to slice it off. Dice the plantains up and place them in a bowl. Then use your hands to mash them up. Cut the ends off of the scallions and remove the outer layer and rinse. Dice the scallions and 1/2 onion up and add them to the plantain mixture. Crush the head of garlic using a garlic press into the bowl. Break two eggs into the mixture along with some salt, pepper and two hands of chopped parsley and cilantro. Mix the ingredients and then put the bowl in the fridge for a little while to allow the mixture to marinate.

In the meantime you can prep the mushrooms. First cut the ends off of the whole mushrooms, fill a big bowl with water and place the mushrooms in the water and push them down and allow them to rise to the surface a few times. Then pour out the water and repeat 2-3 times until clean. Try to shake the excess water off of the mushrooms. Next, cut them in quarters and put them in an oiled preheated pan. Add the 1/2 diced onion to the pan and the sliced garlic and saute on low. If you've got some white wine add 1/4 cup and allow to evaporate. Sprinkle with salt and continue sauteing until done. If the ingredients get too dry, add some water and continue sauteing until the mushrooms are done.

To finish making the Plantain Patties, remove the mixture from the fridge, pour 1/2 inch of vegetable oil into a pan and put on medium heat. A trick to see if the oil is hot is to throw a piece of garlic into the oil and if it starts to fry then you know it's ready, if it doesn't then heat the oil until the garlic starts to cook. I tried to premake the patties, but the mixture was too wet and sticky, so it's best to make them and drop them into the hot oil as you go. To do this, take a handful of the plantain mixture and form a patty shape, sprinkle some flour on each side while in your hand and drop the patty into the pan. It may seem too liquidy, but believe me, the patty will harden and stick together when fried. Allow to cook until brown and then flip. Make sure that each side is nice and brown to ensure that the patties are completely done.


As the patties are done, place them on a plate with paper towel to soak up some of the excess oil on the patty. Serve the patties with the side of sauteed mushrooms and a little salad. Feel free to eat the patty with your favorite sauce. My father ate them with hot sauce.

I hope that you enjoy this recipe and keep on keeping on in the kitchen!