Andrew Jorgensen
It's better than bad, it's good!

Tostones

Our grocery store finally had plantains green enough to make Tostones. These were one of my favorite foods while living in New York. The taste is reminiscent of french fries but the texture has more to offer.

tostones

Cut a green plantain into thick slices. Fry in oil on both sides until golden. Drain or pat dry. Smash flat. Fry again until just browned. Salt.

I was taught to bias cut them. I like to wear gloves when I cut them because the juices in them can be hard on your skin. I've also seen people rinse them (in salt water?) after the first fry. This is supposed to make them more crisp on the outside. You can flatten them with the bottom of a mug or something similar. A Dominican family gave me a device used specifically for this purpose called a "tostonera". Like many Dominican kitchen products it's made of cast aluminum. I think next time I make them I'm going to pulverize my salt first so it sticks better.

These things are delicious. Rebecca says they are a much better alternative than the sweet potato fries you find in some "fancy" restaurants. I strongly agree. Now I just need to find myself some good frying cheese. Oh, and there's another delicious way to eat green plantains: Mangú (the plantain equivalent of mashed potatoes).