Google Analytics

Monday, May 5, 2014

Mofongo in So Many Ways

Image: “Mofongo en el Pilón” by Yolanda Rodriguez, 
to view and buy her artwork, visit her Artist's Page at 


A few weeks ago, I wrote about plantains and shared ways to shop, prepare and cook them. A very versatile fruit! I even mentioned the plantain's stain as the metaphysical soul of the Puerto Rican, the subject of poetry no less.

We were discussing comfort foods (there was mention of chocolate, cheese, mashed potatoes, and bacon – of course). To Puerto Ricans, whether island-bound, in the mainland or spread across the globe, the mere mention of mofongo is cause for sighs, salivating, and all sorts of warm fuzzies. Dominicans have a similar dish they call mangú and Cubans have a boiled version they call fufu.

Along with asopao (soupy rice), arroz con gandules (rice with pigeon peas), and lechón asado (roast pork), mofongo is one of the island's national dishes.

Clearly influenced by its African ancestry, mofongo is a dish composed of fried green plantains. Traditionally, the fried slices are salted, placed in a pilón (a marinaded, wooden mortar) and mashed down.


Some add butter at this stage, I prefer a good virgin olive oil, and garlic. The mofongo is then served with a garlic sauce and generally “stuffed” with chicharrón (crackling) or roast pork (new fusion versions also include shrimp, lobster, and other fried meats, as well as vegetables).


Then, there are several ways to top it, from the aforementioned ajilimójili (garlic sauce) – from broth, pureed seafood, and even spicy black beans.

There is a whole new entity that has entered the arena: trifongo. This culinary sexy beast includes green plantains, ripe plantains, and yucca (cassava).


Trifongo
2 green plantains
1 ripe plantain (yellow)
1 small yucca

oil for browning
salt


Pick yellow, not blackened, ripe plantains or the dish will come out really sweet (dessert sweet).

Peel yucca and cut in quarters. Parboil 5-10 minutes depending on quantity. You want it softened and you can remove the fibrous filaments in the center. (You can do this step ahead of time and refrigerate the yucca.)

You'll take the skin off as instructed earlier, slice and set aside. Some people place the plantain slices in cold, salted water until ready to start (dry before placing in frying pan).

Heat oil, I use enough to cover the bottom of a cast iron pan up to about 1/8th of an inch (about a quarter cup). Place plantain slices and brown (this takes no more than 3 or 4 minutes per side). Ripe plantains will cook and caramelize faster. Brown separately so that the green retain their savory and the ripe ones retain sweet.

Brown the yucca, also a few minutes each side.

Set aside the cooked ones on paper towel to absorbed extra oil, salt immediately. Place in pilón, mash. Add oil and garlic, or hot sauce, fried meats, to taste. If you do not own a pilón (mortar and pestle), you may use a spoon to smash the plantain and yucca, and a bowl to mix them.


You can serve the monfongo or trifongo in your pilón (that's the traditional way). If you don't want to deal with peeling or cannot find the fresh ingredients, Goya has frozen plantains and yucca. It's convenient, but I cannot vouch for the taste and texture as I have not used these products.


The result is crunchy, creamy, filling, slightly sweet, earthy, sexy, velvety and delicious. If you are not entirely sure you can hack it in your own kitchen, find a restaurant that serves it so you can see it, smell it, taste it, and fall in love with it. Then you can try it. You will not regret it.


No comments:

Post a Comment