Moist Mofongo Recipes

MOFONGO

Steps:

• Prepare the guiso, if using: Heat olive oil in a small saucepan over medium heat for 1 to 2 minutes, until simmering. Add sofrito, reduce heat to medium-low and sauté for 3 to 5 minutes until liquid is evaporated.
• Pour in tomato sauce, partially cover with a lid, and simmer over low for 7 to 10 minutes. Sauce will thicken and darken in color.
• While sauce simmers, prepare the mofongo: Pour vegetable oil into a medium saucepan until it reaches a 3-inch depth, then heat over medium-high.
• Meanwhile, crush garlic and 1 teaspoon salt in a pilón or large mortar and pestle until a wet paste forms.
• In a separate, small saucepan, heat 1/4 cup olive oil over medium until just simmering, about 5 minutes. Slowly pour this hot oil on top of the garlic, carefully stirring to incorporate. It'll sizzle, and the garlic may turn light green. Add lime juice to complete the mojo.
• Peel plantains by cutting off both ends, then make three lengthwise slices through the skin. Carefully pull up the peel and remove it, starting at one of the corners with the edge of your fingernail or the tip of your knife if tough, then cut the plantains into 1 1/2-inch rounds. (Be careful: Plantain skins will stain your hands and clothing.)
• Once the vegetable oil is simmering somewhere between 350 and 375 degrees - you can test by adding a small piece of plantain; it will sizzle when the oil is hot enough - add plantains in 2 or 3 batches, taking care not to crown the pot. Fry each batch for 6 to 9 minutes, stirring lightly a few times, until the plantains begin to brown. Be careful not to let them get too dark, or they'll be hard and dry. Use a slotted spoon or mesh strainer to transfer plantains to a towel-lined bowl.
• If you have a large enough pilón, add fried plantains and chicharrón, if using, until pilón is three-quarters full. Mash together, alternating pounding and grinding. Once mixture has condensed to about half its original size, add 1 heaping tablespoon of the prepared mojo (or to taste), and continue grinding and mashing until fully combined. The mixture will look like stuffing.
• If you don't have a pilón, combine plantains, chicharrón and mojo in a large wooden bowl. Using the bottom of a slender jar, such as an olive jar, mash together to incorporate, rotating the bowl after each mash. Pound, grind and mash until mofongo is blended.
• Form the mashed mixture into 4 individual mofongos, each roughly the size of a baseball, or press into the bottom of a small rice bowl, then turn each onto a plate or into a larger bowl.
• Serve immediately, garnished with extra chicharrón, lime wedges and cilantro, if you like. Spoon over guiso as desired.

PUERTO RICAN MOFONGO

Steps:

• Peel the plantains, cut them into 1 1/2-inch slices, soak them in salty water for 15 minutes, drain them and dry them before putting them on the hot skillet with oil.
• Fry them for about 12 minutes at medium-low heat or until they turn light brown. Make sure to turn them. Do not brown them too much, so they are easy to mash. Stick a fork in them to check if they are done.
• Remove them and mash them on a mortar. Add some mashed garlic and pieces of chicharrón.
• Once you have mashed all the plantains, mold them into the shape of half sphere using your hands or a container. Serve hot with chicken broth or your favorite meat.

MOFONGO

Steps:

• Heat canola oil in a deep-fryer or large saucepan to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Mash the garlic with the olive oil in a mortar and pestle. Combine garlic mixture with the pork rinds in a large bowl; set aside.
• Fry the plantain chunks until golden and crispy, but not brown, about 15 minutes. Transfer the fried plantains into the bowl with the garlic mixture. Toss to coat. Mash the coated plantains with the mortar and pestle until smooth. Season with salt. Roll the plantain mixture into two large balls or several small balls before serving.

TRADITIONAL PLANTAIN MOFONGO RECIPE

Steps:

• Gather the ingredients.
• Heat about 2 inches of oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet or deep fryer to 350 F.
• While the oil is heating up, peel the plantains and cut into 1-inch rounds.
• Fry the plantains until golden and tender, 4 to 6 minutes.
• Remove cooked plantains from the pan or fryer to a paper-towel-lined plate.
• Put the garlic paste in a large bowl or mortar and add the fried plantains, in batches, if necessary. Mash thoroughly.
• Add the pork rinds. Continue to mash and mix until all of the ingredients are combined. Add salt to taste.
• Shape the mofongo into 4 balls and serve.
• Alternatively, you can make the mofongo into a half-dome shape using a small condiment bowl as a mold; push a portion of mofongo down to the bottom of the bowl.
• With the back of a spoon, smooth over and level off the mix.
• Then use the spoon to scrape around the bowl and remove the mash in a half-dome shape.

MOFONGO CON CAMARONES (MASHED PLANTAINS WITH SHRIMP)

Steps:

• Begin by heating a medium frying pan of three teaspoons of oil. Add the sofrito, garlic, and onion into the pan over high heat. Sauté and stir the ingredients for three to five minutes.
• Next, lower the heat to simmer and pour the tomato sauce into the frying pan. Also, stir in the medium shrimp and water. Set aside and stir occasionally. Once shrimp are pink, place heat to lowest setting.
• Heat frying oil in a separate large pan. Place piece by piece of the chicharrónes and deep fry them. Set aside over a wire rack or bowl with a paper towel to cool and soak remaining oil.
• Peel and chop the green plantains into 1-inch slices. Then, fry the green plantain slices until golden color. Set aside over wire rack. Place three to five fried plantain slices inside pilón while adding chopped up chicharrónes and salt. Mash the ingredients together. You may add a little bit of the cooked shrimp liquid while mashing if the mofongo is too dry. However, make sure mofongo is dry enough to shape.
• Finally, continue until desired mofongo serving amount inside pilón. While serving, shape mofongo into a ball and place onto the plate and flatten the top. Place shrimp over mofongo and pour liquid over the shrimp. Garnish with cilantro and salt for taste.

17 BEST PUERTO RICAN RECIPES

Steps:

• Select your favorite recipe from the list above.
• Organize all the required ingredients.
• Prepare and enjoy in 30 minutes or less!

MOFONGO (PUERTO RICAN PLANTAIN BALLS)

Steps:

• Peel plantains and cut into one-inch slices.
• In a large saucepan or deep fryer, heat oil to 350 degrees. Add plantain slices in two batches and fry for 7 minutes, turning once, until light golden but not browned. Drain on paper towels.
• In a large mortar or big bowl, crush garlic cloves with pestle or the back of a spoon and sprinkle with salt. Add olive oil to the mixture and keep pounding until it's well incorporated. Transfer to a small bowl.
• In the same mortar or bowl, crush half of the fried plantain slices with half of the pork rinds, 1/2 slice of cooked bacon, and half the garlic aioli and pound or smash together. Add up to 1/2 cup chicken stock as needed, to make it moist.
• Spoon the mixture and shape into two-inch balls. Repeat with remaining ingredients and keep in warm oven until ready to serve. Top with more crushed chicharrón, or cilantro if you wish.

MOIST MOFONGO

Steps:

• Boil water in a large saucepan; add plantains, 2 tablespoons salt, and a dash pepper. Cook until very soft, about 30 minutes. Drain.
• Fry bacon in a skillet until crisp, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer to a bowl; crumble.
• Crush pork rinds in a mortar; transfer to a bowl.
• Blend olive oil, onion, cilantro, garlic, remaining 1 tablespoon salt, and a dash pepper in a food processor until liquefied.
• Mash warm plantains in the mortar in batches; transfer to a large bowl. Stir in pork rinds, bacon, and olive oil mixture until well combined. Shape mofongo into balls.