Garlic Patacones

Ingredients

• 2 green plantains (peeled and cut into chunks)
• 4 garlic cloves (finely minced)
• 0.5 red bell pepper (finely diced)
• 0.25 cup culantro (chopped)
• 2 tbsp olive oil (for the garlic sauce)
• 1 cup oil for frying (as needed for frying)
• salt (to taste)

Steps

1. 1

   Finely mince the garlic cloves, dice the red bell pepper, and chop the culantro.

2. 2

   In a small skillet, add a drizzle of olive oil and sauté the garlic over low heat for 1 minute so it releases its aroma without burning.

3. 3

   Add the diced bell pepper to the skillet and cook for 1 more minute.

4. 4

   Stir in the chopped culantro, add salt to taste, mix all ingredients well, and turn off the heat. Set this garlic sauce aside.

5. 5

   To prepare the plantains, tap them gently before peeling; this will help the skin come off more easily.

6. 6

   Cut the plantains into thick slices of your preferred size.

7. 7

   Heat the frying oil over medium heat. Fry the plantain chunks for the first time until they are tender inside but not too browned.

8. 8

   Remove the plantains from the oil and flatten them using a plantain press (pataconera) or the bottom of a plate.

9. 9

   Increase the oil temperature until it is very hot. Return the flattened plantains to the oil and fry them until they are golden brown and super crispy.

10. 10

    Serve the patacones hot and drizzle them generously with the previously prepared garlic sauce.

Notes

The author recommends serving these patacones with a grilled pork chop. To peel the plantains more easily, the trick of tapping them against the table is very effective.

Nutrition per serving

• side dish
• vegetarian
• fried
• Panamanian food
• green plantain
• garlic
• snack