Stuffed Plantain Croquettes
One of the dishes I remember the most from my childhood, are the so called “rollitos de plátano” (plantain rolls) my mom used to cook on a no-meat day. Everybody loved them, except for me. Why? No idea. Today they are one of my favorite dishes, and they are perfect as an appetizer, as an entree with some cheese, or as fingerfood with some salsa roja. They combine savory and sweetness, at the same time, and the texture of plantains is just perfect for a croquette. Try these ones next time you’re craving for some latino flavors!
Preparation Time: 30 min
Cooking Time: 20 min
Ingredients:
- 2 big plantains
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 3 poblano chiles, roasted, without skin and seeds, cut into strips
- 3 plum tomatoes
- 1/2 medium size white onion, sliced
- 1 clove of garlic, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon of chicken stock powder (Knorr) or half a cube of chicken stock
- Panela cheese or feta cheese to stuff
- Black beans to stuff
- Flour to cover the croquettes
- Canola oil to fry
- Sour cream to drizzle
- Cotija cheese or queso fresco to sprinkle
Directions:
- Wash the plantains with water, trim the ends and cut them into 3 pieces. Make a cut length-wise up to the middle in each piece. Bring some water to a boil in a big saucepan and cook the plantains (water should cover the plantains completely), with the lid on, for about 30 minutes or until they are soft and tender. Take the plantains out and reserve.
- Meanwhile, sautee the onions and garlic, over medium-high heat for 5 minutes. Blend the tomatoes with ¼ cup of water,until smooth and strain the liquid over the onions and garlic. Add the poblano chiles strips, the chicken stock powder and cook until the tomato has reduce to half and changed its color to a darker red. Add salt to taste. Reserve.
- Once the plantains have cooled down, peel them and mash them until you have a soft puree (like a potato puree). If its alittle dry, add a tablespoon (or 2) of water and mix.
- Take some of the puree and make a ball (golf size ball, 2 inches), flatten it into a concave disk and put a slice of panela cheese and some refried beans in the center. Cup the plantain mixture up around the filling, sealing to form the croquette. Be patient, first time you will find yourself suffering a little!
- Dip the croquettes into the flour, shaking out the excess.
- Pour the oil into a deep saucepan or skillet, to a depth of 1.5 inches and heat about 350ºF. Fry the croquettes in small batches until they are golden brown on all sides, about 3-4 minutes each. Drain on paper towels.
- To serve, put a bed of the poblano, onion, garlic and tomatoes mixture, then put the croquettes over and drizzle with some sour cream and cotija cheese! Enjoy!
