My sister has requested this recipe – it was actually made for the holidays for my in-laws who ate everything I made! It is pretty simple, which makes it even better. I also don’t have all of the traditional equipment in order to make it but we made due, so I will share my modifications!

Mofongo is a double fried plantain fritter with garlic and normally chicharrones or crispy pork rinds. I don’t eat pork (in fact, I’m allergic), so I do not include them, but if you would like to add them, feel free. Although this recipe is ‘simple’ it does require the use of at least two burners at the same time, however some of this use is ‘passive’ time, where you are able to set it on low and leave it be.

Mofongo con Mariscos

Plantain Fritters with a Creamy Garlic Tomato Seafood Sauce

• 2 green plantains (unripe)
• 1 head of garlic, divided
• 1 yellow onion, minced
• 3 tablespoons butter, divided
• 1# of raw shrimp, deveined, shell off, or 2 white fish filets like tilapia, swai, or cod
• 1 14-15 oz can of diced fire roasted tomatoes
• Splash of dry white wine – I used a chenin blanc/viognier blend that I hadn’t finished and allowed to vinegar
• 1 tablespoon Better Than Bouillon Vegetable Base
• 1/2 can of evaporated milk or a splash of heavy cream
• Salt and Pepper to taste
• Peanut Oil

Heat a cast iron or frying pan with peanut oil to 350-375’F. Peel and cut plantain on a bias, rather than rounds. Once properly heated, place plantain in oil, enough to fill cast iron but not overcrowd. Cook on each side until crispy, around 3-5 minutes, and then place on a plate to cool. The cast iron will be used at a later point, so turn it down to keep the oil warm but not so that it burns.

While the plantains are cooling, start your shrimp tomato sauce!

First, we will start our mise en place. Open up your canned tomatoes, mince the onion, and smash 4-5 garlic cloves with the flat of the knife and mince. In a sauté pan, add 2 tablespoons of butter and heat to medium. Cook each of the shrimp quickly but not all the way through, only around 1 minute per side. The residual heat will finish cooking them as they sit. If you are using fish, cook the fish on either side but not until fully cooked – when placing the fish in the sauce at the end, the heat will finish cooking it. Place your fish or shrimp on a plate to the side.

Add the unused tablespoon of butter to the pan and sauté the minced onion. Once translucent, add the 4-5 cloves of garlic and cook until fragrant. The better than bouillon paste will now be mixed in, making sure to try and mix it thoroughly into the vegetables. Add your splash of white wine, and then pour the tomatoes into the mixture and lower the heat to simmer.

The tomato sauce will slightly darken and thicken as it cooks and the moisture evaporates — letting it cook on low will also help bring out a slight sweetness from the tomatoes.

By this time, the plantains should be cooler to the touch, although still warm. This will allow you to handle them, especially if you do not have a mortar and pestle. If you have a mortar and pestle, slowly mash the plantains until they form into a constistency similar to a dry play dough. They should not be fully smashed, but have a chunky appearance. Place the smashed plantains in a separate bowl. With the remainder of the garlic, smash in the mortar and pestle and then place in the bowl with the plantains. If you do not have a mortar and pestle, finely dice the plantains and place them in a bowl. Smash the garlic with the side of the blade or with the palm of your hand and finely mince. Place in the bowl with the plantains.

Add a pinch of salt, and with your hands, combine the garlic and plantains, squeezing them together so that everything is interspersed. The starches from the plantains should allow them to start to hold together, form them into a ball and place the formed balls in a prepared area to the side.

Heat the oil in the cast iron once more. Once the mofongo rounds have been formed, fry them in the oil until crispy, turning as needed. Place them on a plate lined with a paper towel to drain and cool. Turn to the garlic tomato mixture. At this point, it should be darker, thicker, and chunky. We want it to flow over the mofongo, so at this point, we’ll mix in our evaporated milk or that splash of heavy cream and stir. Add salt to taste, then fold the shrimp or fish back into the creamy tomato garlic sauce.

Serve with freshly chopped cilantro and enjoy!