Recipe Sweet Fried Plantains PlÁtanos Maduros

MADUROS (FRIED SWEET PLANTAINS)

Steps:

• Use a paring knife to cut a slit along the length of the plantains, carefully avoiding cutting into the flesh. Remove peels and discard. Slice plantains at an angle crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick pieces (about 12 pieces per plantain).
• In a large skillet, heat about 1/8 inch vegetable oil over medium-high. When the oil shimmers, add half the sliced plantains and fry until golden brown, turning once, 2 to 3 minutes per side. The plantains should be caramelized and slightly crisp at the edges but still tender in the middle.
• Using a slotted spoon, transfer maduros to a paper towel-lined plate to drain. Repeat with remaining sliced plantains. Serve immediately.

FRIED SWEET PLANTAINS (PLATANOS MADUROS FRITOS)

Steps:

• In a large skillet, melt the butter with the olive oil over medium heat; add the plantain slices and fry for about 4 minutes on each side, moving the slices with a spatula occasionally to prevent sticking.
• Remove the plantains from the skillet with a slotted spoon and let drain on paper towels.
• Transfer to a large, warm serving platter, sprinkle with lemon juice and salt and serve warm.
• *unripeplantains are green and hard, as they ripen they turn yellow and then get mottled with dark spots; Ripe plantains are sweet and soft and are brownish-black in color and resemble overripe bananas; To ripen a plantain, keep them in a warm place until they turn yellow, then brownish-black.

PLATANOS MADUROS

Steps:

• Cut ends from plantains and peel fruit. Diagonally cut plantains into 1/2-inch-thick slices. In a large nonstick skillet heat 1/3 cup oil over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking and sauté plantains in batches, without crowding, until golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes on each side, adding more oil to skillet as necessary. With a spatula transfer plantains as sautéed to paper towels to drain and season with salt if desired.
• Serve plantains immediately.