Kitchen Basics: How to Pick & Prep Plantains

Remember my last Kitchen Basics post where I showed you how to pick and prep some common (but sometimes tricky) tropical fruit?  Well, it was so popular that I wanted to share another of my favorite tropical fruits for you, the incredible plantain!

Why do I love the plantain?  First of all, it is so versatile!  You can use them for both savory and sweet dishes, which are completely different.  If you're unsure how to use them, well lucky for you that I'll be sharing two different recipes over the next couple weeks: one savory and and one sweet!

EDIT:  Here are my recipes for Patacones (Fried Green Plantains) and Plátanos Maduros (Sweet Cuban Plantains)!

The second reason is that I grew up in a household where these were used quite often, so it reminds me of my childhood.  However, if you have never eaten plantains, they are a very familiar flavor, most closely resembling a banana.  Unlike bananas, they are more starchy and tough, so they are not as good when eaten raw.  But once you cook them, they are about a million times better than a banana!

Now, let's get to the important info!


Things to look for:

• Intact peels
• For savory preparations: firm with yellow-green skin
• For sweet preparations: almost completely black skin, soft but not mushy OR wait for the fruit to ripen

Avoid:

• Peels with tears or breaks
• Fruit with bruises or soft spots
• Shriveled or moldy fruit

Different stages of plantain ripeness, from green to black.  Source for picture on right.

Prep Method #1  (for softer plantains)

1.  Cut off both ends of the plantain.

2.  Score the tough peel down the entire length of the fruit with the tip of your knife.

3.  Peel away the skin.

4.   Cut into your desired lengths.

Prep Method #2  (for tougher plantains)

1.  Cut off both ends of the plantain.

2.  Cut into three or four sections.

2.  Score the tough peel down the length of each section with the tip of your knife.

3.  Peel away the skin.

That's it!  All you have to do is get your plantain ready for some delicious recipes!

So that's it for this edition of kitchen basics!  Remember for next couple weeks, I'll be sharing some recipes for plantains, both savory and sweet.  Until then, pick out some plantains at the store using my tips above!

Do you prefer savory or sweet plantain dishes?

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