Maduros (Fried Sweet Plantains)

I made plantains for my 1st fund raising lunch at work. The first day you buy plantains they might be yellow and their taste is starchy, fried as tostones, they remind me of french fries and they serve a similar purpose in Latin cuisine.

If you let plantains ripen over time, they begin to speckle with black spots. When the plantain has about 1/3-1/2 of its peel turned black, it is the perfect time to fry them for a sweet accompaniment to your meal.

Ingredients:
2 ripened plantains
Canola oil, for frying

Wash plantains very well before peeling. Slice through the peel vertically and remove peel from plantain. Slice vertically in half, then cut into pieces 1 1/2 inches long.



Heat up oil in deep saute pan or a medium sauce pot over high heat. It should be about 1 1/2 to 2 inches deep so that plantains are completely covered when frying. Add plantain pieces to hot oil.


Fry 3-5 minutes, turning once, until they are golden brown. Remove, and drain on paper towels.





Serve with Cuban black beans and rice.