Ingredients:

3 large green plantains
1 medium white onion, chopped
4 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
4 to 6 garlic cloves mashed
1 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp salt
4 cups chicken stock
juice of 1 lemon

Cut ends of off the plantains and peel.  Cut them into chunks.  You may find it easier to cut them first and then peel.

Bring the plantains to a boil, then lower heat, cover and simmer until tender.  This will typically take 20 to 30 minutes.  Test with fork for tenderness.  Keep the bananas in broth until you are ready to mash them. 

In a separate pan cook onions in olive oil for 3 to 5 minutes on low heat.  Add garlic and sauté for a few more minutes.  Mash the bananas with the broth (add 1/2 of a cup of broth or water at a time until desired consistency – should be like mashed potatoes.)  Add in oil, onions and garlic.  Add in lemon juice and season with salt and pepper to taste.  I personally also like to add some chopped fresh parsley or cilantro.

Serve as a side dish or you can top with bacon bits, pork cracklings (Chicharrón) or masas de puerco (fried pork chunks) and have as a meal.

You can also make this with sweet plantains, or even medium ripe plantains for a sweeter taste.  With the sweeter plantains we suggest 4 plantains, 4 strips of bacon (cooked until crispy and chopped) 1 medium onion and 4 to 6 cloves of garlic.  Cook your bacon and then in the pan drippings cook the onion for 3 to 4 minutes over medium heat.  Add garlic and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Discard all of the bacon drippings except for 2 tablespoons.  Add to the bananas and mash with onion and garlic mixture.

Dominican Mangu:  Use the same unripe plantains and boil until tender.  They add in 4 tablespoons of butter instead of the olive oil, as well as 2 red onions, 1 tablespoon vinegar and 1 cup of cold water to mash together with the softened plantains.  I saw another version that used milk instead of water.  Will have to try the Dominican version to compare the taste to the Cuban fufu.  This is traditionally eaten for breakfast along with fried eggs.

Fufu de Platano Cubano Receta: Green Plantain Mash Recipe is a post from: TasteForCooking

Prep Time: 20 minutes       Cook Time: 2 hours

Ingredients:

* 1 lb dry lentils (you can soak 1 hour before cooking or rinse them off and let the cook longer)
* 1 onion
* 2 carrots
* 2 celery stalks
* 2 garlic cloves
* 2 Tbsp Spanish virgin olive oil
* 1 packet of Sazon Goya Con Azafran (found in the spice section of most stores, comes in a box)
* 1 Tbsp ground cumin
* salt and pepper to taste

Variations: you can also add potatoes to this while it is cooking. If you don’t want to make this vegetarian version you can always add cubes of ham or a ham bone (this will increase the saltiness)

Preparation:
Note: Preparation time does not include 1 hour for soaking the lentils before cooking (which is optional)

• Rinse lentils in a strainer. Place lentils into a medium sauce pan and cover with water. Soak for 1 hour if you can.

• Peel the carrots and cut into slices about 1/2-inch thick. Cut the celery stalks into slices. Peel and mince garlic cloves. Chop the onion. Peel the potatoes and cut into 1-inch cubes (if you are using them).

• Pour the oil into a large pot and heat on medium. When oil is hot, add the vegetables and sauté for 5 minutes.

• Add lentils, Goya Sazon, and Cumin to pot and add enough water to the pot to cover everything. Bring the water to a boil. Then reduce to a simmer or low for about 2 hours. Check the pot every 20 minutes or so. Add water if/when needed.
• Once it is done add salt and pepper to taste. And we sometimes serve it with white rice and banana chips.

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Lentil Soup Recipe – Lentejas Recipe is a post from: TasteForCooking

Ingredients:

1 pound ground beef
1 large white onion, diced
1 cup green pepper, seeded & diced
1 potato, peeled & diced
6 large garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 /2 cup white cooking wine (Vino Seco)
1/4 cup white vinegar
1 bay leaf
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
1/2 cup water

In large skillet, saute ground meat, onion, pepper and garlic in large skillet over medium heat with a small amount of oil until meat is browned. Drain fat if necessary.

Add tomato sauce, potatoes, wine, vinegar and remaining ingredients. Cover and cook over medium low for 15 minutes. Uncover and cook for an additional 15 minutes.

Tips:

1. Variation:  Add 1/2 cup raisins
2. Variation:  Add 1/4 cup pimento stuffed olives
3. Variation:  Add 1/4 cup diced pimentos
4. Variation:  Add 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
5.  Leave out the potatoes & use the left overs for empanadas or taco filling

Picadillo Recipe is a post from: TasteForCooking