Mashed Plantains (Puerto Rican Mofongo)

Mofongo is a typical Puerto Rican and Dominican dish that consists of fried green plantain purée, garlic, oil and pork rind (chicharrones de cerdo). Mofongo is very popular on this archipelago, and it is the soul of Puerto Rican cuisine. It is found everywhere, even in the music as in the song Puertorriqueño by Joe Valle and César Concepción. This Creole dish appeared for the first time in an 1849 cookbook titled El Cocinero Puertorriqueño.

5 green plantains
1 lb pork rind (chicharrones de cerdo)
3 cloves garlic, crushed
4 tsp. olive oil
2 cups vegetable oil (to fry plantains)
1 cup vegetable oil (to fry pork rind)
sea salt

For the pork rind (chicharrones de cerdo):
Boil the rind in water seasoned with salt and pepper for about 1 hour and 30 minutes on low heat or until it is very soft. Drain and cut into small pieces of 1x½".

Dry the pieces of pork rind either in the open air for about 8 hours when the weather permits, or in the oven at 140°F for 5 hours.

After drying, remove excess fat with paper towel.

Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Fry the pieces of rind for 3-4 minutes on each side. Remove them from the oil and place on a dish lined with paper towel.

Lower the heat and plunge the pieces of rind back into the oil. Cover and fry for 10 minutes over medium-low heat, stirring regularly. Remove them from the oil and place on a dish lined with paper towel.

Increase the heat to medium-high and plunge the pieces of rind for 2 minutes, without stirring. The rind should be golden brown.

For the plantains:
Peel the plantains. Cut into slices of about 1½" and soak in salted water for 15 minutes. Drain. Place on a dish lined with paper towel and dry well.

Heat the cooking oil in a frying pan. Fry the plantains in the vegetable oil over a low-medium heat, turning them halfway through cooking. Be careful not to brown them because it may form a small crust that would make it difficult to reduce to a homogeneous mash.

Remove the plantains from the pan and drain on paper towel.

Using a mortar and pestle, mash the plantains while slowly pouring the olive oil. The desired consistency should not be too soft or too dense. The purée should be easily molded. Stir in the garlic and the pieces of rind and crush again with the pestle.

Divide the preparation into 4 parts. Mold the purée in the shape of a half-sphere by hand or using a small bowl, and serve.

Makes 4 servings.