I was so excited when I set up to make this recipe. I had bought a fancy tostones rellenos maker and I was going to use it for the first time. When the key moment came and I took out my tool, it broke as soon as I tried to shape one plantain! It was so disappointing and it left without a plan for dinner. Luckily, I realized I could use my pestle to give the initial form and then finish it by hands. That was close. The result is not as perfect as if I had used the tostones rellenos maker (and it worked), but it was still delicious.
Tostones rellenos
Ingredients
- 3 cups canola oil (for frying)
- 2 green plantains (peeled and sliced crosswise into fourths)
- 1lb ground pork, beef or turkey ((or a vegetable mix))
- 1/2 cup tomato sauce
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 cup shredded cheese
- 1/2 cup sofrito
Directions
1. | Heat canola oil in a deep-fryer or large saucepan to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) |
2. | Fry the plantains in the preheated oil until golden, but not brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Smash each piece of plantain in a tostonero or with the bottom of a small dish to make a small disk, then shape the disk into a small cup. Return the plantain cups to the hot oil, and fry until golden and crisp, 5 to 7 minutes more. Season with garlic salt. Set aside. |
3. | Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) |
4. | Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and stir in the ground beef. Season with salt. Cook and stir until the beef is crumbly, evenly browned, and no longer pink. Drain and discard any excess grease. Stir in the sofrito, tomato sauce, water, sazon seasoning, and olives. Reduce heat to medium-low, then simmer until liquid is reduced, about 15 minutes |
5. | Fill the plantain cups with the beef mixture and top with Cheddar cheese. Arrange the cups on a baking sheet |
6. | Bake in the preheated oven until the cheese is melted, 5 to 8 minutes. |
Note
Recipe adapted from: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/tostones-rellenos-stuffed-plantain-cups/