I've just discovered the plantain and I like

[Anau]

I read the label on one of the plantains at the grocery store the other day which gave microwaving instructions. Today I tried it out with some brown sugar and it was excellent! So simple!

 

[Poppinfresh]

Try deep frying em. It's the only way I can eat em. They're too starchy for me.

 

[texasgirl]

I looked it up, cause I've never had one, and they look like banana's. So, what do they taste like? I'm assuming that they are veggies instead of sweet fruits??

 

[mish]

I read the label on one of the plantains at the grocery store the other day which gave microwaving instructions. Today I tried it out with some brown sugar and it was excellent! So simple!

Welcome to DC, Anou.

I want to give them a try, as well. Was it green or black? Can you share the recipe?

Bumped into one called Tostones, that looks really good... like little pancakes. The plantain is peeled, cut into 1" pieces, oiled, grilled, flattened and topped with Cilantro.

 

[Anau]

They do kinda look like big bananas, but plantains are harder to peel and the flesh was a salmon color instead of white. They are just a little sweet but not nearly as much as bananas and I've seen them used as both fruits and vegetables. I don't remembering it being starchy though, maybe it depends on the level of ripeness.

What I did was just remove the skin (it was black), chop up the insides and microwave it on a plate with a bowl over top that. I think I added maybe a teaspoon of water to it also. Then I just put it in the micrwave for a couple minutes until it was softened. The recipe said to mash it up with a fork and add brown sugar which was really good but I'm sure there's a million things you could do with it.

Poppinfresh, last time I tried frying them, they all fell apart on me. ?

 

[Sugarcane]

http://dominicancooking.com/recipes/sidedishes/platanocaldero.htm
These are 'very ripe' and baked... Can't eat rice and beans without them, once you learn to make them
The 'black ones' are the best for baking, they have all the sugar of a sun riped fruit; if you try to fry them they will absorb a lot of oil and become 'mushy' and fall apart.

 

[Yakuta]

Plantains are really yummy. I liked the fried version (you need firmer plantains for this) or the caramelized version which I have had at Brazilian churrascarias. I tried making it their way with a little of my twist and it came out great. Here is the recipe.

Two plantains (not too ripe but not too raw either). Look for a yellowish and little bit of a black peel.

Cut the peel out carefully and slice the flesh into small chunks
6 tbsps of unsalted butter
brown sugar (2-3 tbsp)
pinch of salt
zest of an orange (I also squeeze the orange for it's juice and reserve it)

In a pan, add the butter. Once it's slightly brown add the sugar and salt and throw in the plantains, orange zest and juice. Let this all cook until the plantains are nice and soft and caramelized.

Goes great as a side dish with steak or any other meat dish. If the meat dish is spicy it goes even better.

 

[Sugarcane]

Hi Yakuta, very nice twist...You should try it with pineapple juice also

 

[Banana Brain]

They're healthy and delicous baked with honey and brown sugar also. Bake at 450 degrees F. for 10-15 minutes.

 

[southerncooker]

My son who's in his early 20's saw Fred Sandford eat Mofongo on one of the Sandford and Son shows and had to get the recipe on line and try it. It has plantains in it and also a favorite southen snack item.. pork rinds. It's pretty good though. Here's a link to a recipe if anyone would like to see it.
http://www.hechoenpuertorico.org/comida/mofongo.html

Hubby loves them fried with brown sugar, cinnamon and butter.