Sweet Plantain Puree Recipe
After living some years of my life in States of Veracruz and Tabasco, and being raised by a mother from Veracruz, plantains have become a part of my cooking. I’m so happy that I can easily find them here in the US. I usually buy them still green and leave them to ripen in my basket with other fruits, until they’re ready to cook. Depending
on what you want to use them for, they can be just slightly ripe or even green (for chips or other dishes).
If you happen to have several that ripen at the same time, remove their peels, place them inside a plastic freezer bag, and store them in the freezer for later use, like making this Mogo Mogo dish, for example.
Mogo Mogo (also called “Machuco”) is a sweet and salty puree that is just one of the many ways that people in the Tuxtla’s region in Veracruz cook plantains. Not only in that region but all over states like Tabasco, Oaxaca, and Chiapas there is a great diversity of dishes using plantains in everyday cooking. This easy recipe requires few ingredients and is super quick to prepare with delightful results.
It is one of those things that you can’t stop eating once you have given it the first bite. I like to serve it as a side dish when I cook pork, like baked or pan-fried pork chops or roasted pork leg, the combination pairs great.
In Veracruz, Mogo Mogo is served with a side of refried or whole black beans for breakfast, sometimes a few little pieces of pork cracklings on the side. Even the fat residue at the bottom of the pot where the cracklings where cooked is sometimes added. Other variations of this dish add chopped onion or garlic, and the mixture is used as a filling for stuffed peppers. Well, you know that home cook each have their own personal way to cook their recipes, and this is my personal way to prepare this dish. Enjoy!
Sweet Plantain Puree Recipe
DIRECTIONS:
- Cut the tips off the plantains and place in a large pot. Cover with cold water and turn heat to medium high. Bring to a boil and then turn down to simmer until they are cooked. Depending on how ripened the plantains are, they will take between 10 to 15 minutes. They have to be soft to the touch and the skin will start to split into some of their sides. (Please check the ingredients list below)
- Remove from pot, drain excess water and let cool until you are able to handle them. Remove their peels.
- Place plantains in a frying pan and, with the help of a bean or potato masher, mash to form a puree. You can also use the bottom of a heavy glass to perform this step, as it is shown in the picture above.
- Now, turn the heat to medium-high and add the butter. Stir well, allowing it to melt, then stir in the cream and season with salt. Usually, the texture is more like a paste than a soft puree, but you can add more cream or butter if that is your choice. Once everything has been well mixed and warmed, it is ready to be served. Enjoy!
- 3 Plantains ripened (With some black spots)*
- 4 Tablespoons of butter
- ¾ cup Mexican cream
- Salt to taste
-
Cut the tips off the plantains and place in a large pot. Cover with cold water and turn heat to medium-high. Bring to a boil and then turn down to simmer until they are cooked. Depending on how ripened the plantains are, they will take between 10 to 15 minutes. They have to be soft to the touch and the skin will start to split into some of their sides.
-
Remove from pot, drain excess water and let cool until you are able to handle them. Remove their peels.
-
Place plantains in a frying pan and, with the help of a bean or potato masher, mash to form a puree. You can also use the bottom of a heavy glass to perform this step, as it is shown in the picture above.
-
Now, turn the heat to medium-high and add the butter. Stir well, allowing it to melt, then stir in the cream and season with salt. Usually, the texture is more like a paste than a soft puree, but you can add more cream or butter if that is your choice. Once everything has been well mixed and warmed, it is ready to be served. Enjoy!
Please make sure your plantains are ripened, but still firm when you touch them.
Buen Provecho!
Mely,
More recipes:
Tamal de Cazuela – Tamal Casserole
Strawberry Banana Yogurt Smoothie
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