Mofongo, a beloved Dominican delight, captures the essence of Caribbean happiness on a plate. Imagine perfectly fried plantains, mashed with garlic and spices, creating a harmonious blend of sweetness and savoriness. Every bite is a burst of flavor, a culinary journey through Dominican traditions. Paired with meats or seafood, it embodies the heartwarming spirit of Dominican cuisine, making every meal a joyful celebration.
PREP-TIME
PREP TIME: 15minutes mins
COOK TIME: 35minutes mins
TOTAL TIME: 50minutes mins
SERVINGS: 4 servings
CALORIES: 659 kcal
Ingredients:
For the beef broth
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 pound beef bones, [0.45 kg] any type would do
- 1 tablespoon mashed garlic, cloves
- 1 red onion, halved
- 1 sprig cilantro
- 1 sprig of recao/cilantro ancho/culantro, optional
- ¼ teaspoon oregano (dry, ground)
- ¾ teaspoon salt, (or more, to taste)
For the Puerto Rican mofongo
- 1 cup oil for frying, (vegetable oil)
- 4 plantain (green, unripe), peeled (how to), cut into ¾” [2 cm] slices
- 1 pound pork cracklings, (fried pork skin) minced
- 4 garlic cloves, mashed (about 2 tablespoons)
- 1½ teaspoon salt, (or more, to taste)
For the old-style Dominican mofongo
- 4 plantain (green, unripe), unpeeled
- 1½ teaspoon salt
- ⅓ cup olive oil
- 4 garlic cloves, mashed (about 2 tablespoons)
- 1 1 pork cracklings, (fried pork skin) minced
Directions:
In a large saucepan heat the olive oil over medium heat. Brown the beef being careful that it does not burn. Add the garlic and onion and stir. Pour in 4 cups of water, and add cilantro, cilantro ancho, and oregano.Boil for an hour over low heat, topping off the water every once in a while to maintain the same level.Season with salt to taste. Sieve and remove the solids.
1. Fry the plantains
- Begin by heating some oil in a small pot or saucepan over medium heat. subsequently, fry the plantain slices until they turn golden brown all over, a process that generally takes 3-5 minutes. Remove from the oil and place on a paper towel.
2. Crush plantains
- To begin, use a pilón (large mortar and pestle) or a potato masher to crush the garlic and salt together. Next, incorporate the plantains and mash them. Now, add the pork cracklings and continue mashing and crushing to combine them with the plantains. Depending on the size of your pilón, you might need to divide the ingredients and work in six batches to ensure they fit. Afterwords, the mixture will develop a dense consistency and roughly form a ball.
3. Serve
Shape the mixture into 6 balls and place each in a small bowl.Place the balls into the serving plates, and garnish with the broth, that you’ll use to pour over and moisten the mofongo balls.
How to make old-style Dominican mofongo
1. Roast the plantains
- Wrap the plantains in aluminum foilBake plantains in a preheated oven at 400ºF [200ºC] for 35 minutes, or cook in an air fryer preheated to 350ºF [175ºC]
2. Sauté the garlic
Simultaneously, in a pan, heat olive oil over very low heat. Stir in the garlic and sprinkle it with salt. Cover the pan and sauté for 10 minutes, occasionally stirring and ensuring the heat remains low enough to prevent the garlic from burning or changing to a dark color. Once done, set it aside for later use.**
3. Mash the plantains
- Remove the plantains from the oven and let them cool down for 5 minutes. Moving on, carefully peel the plantains. Start smashing the plantains one by one in a mortar and pestle, adding to each plantain ¼ of the oil and garlic and ¼ of the pork cracklings while you mash and mix.
4. Serve
- Form each plantain mash into a dome, or scoop it into a bowl. Serve 4 servings of the broth – alongside each mofongo bowl – that you’ll use to pour over and moisten the mofongo balls.
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