Plantain Tostadas with Rajas y Salsa Criollo

My homegirl Patty came over the other day while I was making a recipe for SEÑOREATA’s Instagram page. She’s Mexican and owner of a Latina fashion lifestyle brand called Hija De Tu Madre. I thought it would be a fun idea to mesh our cultures into one recipe! I had just the ingredients to create this epic Plantain Tostada with Mexican inspired rajas, Cuban Salsa Criollo, roasted corn, al pastor seasoned potatoes, shredded lettuce, and cheese. This is the best dish I’ve had all year, and I highly recommend giving it ago!



Everything was cooked intuitively and in the moment, so remember to adjust seasonings to your liking!


Ingredients:


3 green plantains, cut in half

1 large russet potatoes, medium diced

Plant based provolone cheese

Green onions, thinly sliced

1 corn cob, de-husked and roasted on an open flame or grill

1 cup of finely shredded iceberg lettuce

Maldon salt

Oil for frying and sautéing

1 pasilla chile, halved, seeded and sliced

1/2 brown onion, sliced thinly


Salsa Criollo


4 soft vine ripened tomatoes, blended in a high speed blender

1/4 of a brown onion, small diced

2 cloves of garlic, minced

1.2 t cumin

pinch of oregano

2 T red wine

1 bayleaf

2 T vegetable oil

1 t soy sauce or tamari

pinch of black ground pepper

pinch of chili flakes

salt to taste


Method:


  1. Slice the ends off of the plantains, then slice down the vein from top to bottom, use that as an opening to peel the plantain. Cut plantain in half

  2. Preheat oil to 370ºF in a saucepan.

  3. In another saucepan, turn flame to medium high and sauté diced unions until translucent and golden, then add garlic, the bayleaf, and salt. Add spices, then stir in the wine. Allow flavors to marry for a minute, then add in the fresh tomato sauce (you can also use canned). Bring to a boil then simmer on low for 20 minutes.

  4. A tip for cooking potatoes quickly, is to par boil them for a couple of minutes before pan frying. I used my girl Jocelyn’s Al Pastor seasoning from her brand, Todo Verde to season the potatoes, with a pinch of salt added. Then pan fried until golden brown.

  5. Once corn is roasted, cut off all the corn ears and put into a small bowl.

  6. Par fry the plantains, however many at a time your pan can fit, until golden, then remove from heat. Place between parchment paper and use a heavy pot or a mortar/molcajete to press down the plantain until flat. Fry until golden brown.

  7. In the meantime, sautée the onions and peppers (rajas) until onions are translucent.

  8. Melt the cheese, then spread it onto the plantains.

  9. Top your plantain tostada! I did toppings in this order: lettuce, corn, potatoes, rajas, salsa criollo.



Evanice Holz