Plantains with Lemon Juice and Garlic
Posted: August 3, 2009 Filed under: $ Left, Recipe, Tina Wrote It 5 Comments »
Whenever I make plantains I think “wow, these are so good, why don’t we buy these more?” I don’t know the answer. They are yummy, cheap, filling and, like bananas, full of potassium. They are also a fun and different alternative to more normal sides like potatoes.
Plantains w/Lemon Juice and Garlic
Ingredients:
- 2 green plantains
- 2-3 cloves of garlic, minced
- olive oil
- lemon juice
- salt and pepper
To Do:
- Peel the plantains. The green ones are a bit of a pain, so I use my trusty OXO vegetable peeler to get the skin off while getting as much plantain as possible. If you’re good with a knife, go for it, but be careful – they can be slippery. Cut the plantains into slices and place in cold water.
- Heat up a bit of olive oil in a skillet and sautee the garlic until golden brown. Drain plantain slices, pat dry and add to the garlic.
- Cook until the plantains turn yellow and add some water. Place a lid on top of the pan and let the plantains simmer a bit. Remove lid and let the water cook down. Add lemon juice, salt and pepper and let the plantains cook a bit more. They should be a golden color and firm on the outside and creamy on the inside. You might need to repeat the water process to cook them through.
- Eat!
Did you eat this recipe as a side dish or the main thing? If a side dish, then what did you eat alongside the lemony plantains?
Thanks!
We had some oven baked tofu on the side, but you can do just about anything. Seitan steaks flavored with a lime/chili spice rub or, if you eat meat, I’m sure a garlic-y chicken would go well.
Yum. Thanks for the ideas!
I loved eating plantains in Costa Rica but I’ve never thought of cooking them myself!
I like the lemon in the recipe, but I use the traditional tostones method. Essentially, after the plantains have fried once, turning a little golden yellow (not brown), you remove them from the pan and blot them on paper towel. You then take a heavy bottom glass and smash them on wax paper just so the inner soft part comes out (don’t pulverize them). You then drop them back into the pan (you may need to add a little more oil) for a second fry until they’re golden brown. I don’t add water to the pan.