Tostones and Mojo Sauce

One summer, a couple years ago, my PIC attended a garden party in Washington, D.C. He spoke so highly of the food when he came back home but what stood out was how he insisted that I had to make these “plantain things”. “They’re cut into slices then deep fried and sprinkled with a little salt” was the explanation I received. The thing is I had had them many times before. I had even made them for him but apparently mines was not as memorable as his. At a BBQ last summer, I was joking with a sweet Puerto Rican yound lady about my PIC’s love for these plantain snacks that I just can’t seem to make to PIC’s liking. She gave me some tips (one of which included deep frying because apparently all this time I was pan frying). So with this and another tip in hand I finally got around to tostones. I made this Mojo sauce to go with it. The sauce is very herby and garlicky and would be the perfect marinade for poultry or meat but it goes really well with these plantains too.

Ingredients:

For Tostones:
2 greenish yellow plantains (not ripe), cut into 3/4 inch pieces.
Vegetable or conola oil
1 and 1/2 Teaspoons salt

Method:
1. In a large skillet or pot, add about 1 and 1/2 to 2 inches of oil.
2. When the oil is very hot (when you stick a wooden spoon in it bubbles begin to form), drop in plantains.
3. Take out plantains and set on paper towels. When cool enough to touch, stamp each one with the bottom of a tin and press down until it becomes flat.
4. Place them back into hot oil and fry until they become a darker golden brown. Place back on paper towels to soak up excess oil. SALT THEM IMMEDIATELY WHEN THEY COME OUT OF THE OIL.

For the Mojo:
1 cup cilantro
2 cloves garlic
2 tsp chopped onion
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2-1 teaspoon cumin powder
Dash of salt
1 tsp paprika
1 tbsp hot Pepper Sauce
juice of half a lemon
juice of half orange
juice of half lime