Nom Nom: Green Plantain Thanksgiving Stuffing

Thankgiving (or, alternately, “Sensgeebing”) is just around the corner. As such, we were looking for a recipe to add a different twist on more traditional Thanksgiving dishes. And we think a green plantain stuffing does that quite nicely. It’s a take on traditional Puerto Rican mofongo. And any excuse to say “mofongo” is alright by us.

This recipe includes bacon and sweet chilis, so you know it’s going to taste puhretty darn good. Even with the dry old turkey carcass your great-aunt managed to ruin yet again this year. Let’s do this:

Ingredients:

6 green plantains

Vegetable oil for frying

1 lb. cooked bacon (chopped into small pieces)

6 cloves garlic (chopped)

sweet chili peppers (seeded and finely chopped)

1 small onion (finely chopped)

1/3 cup olive oil

1/3 cup chicken broth

Directions:

1. Heat the oil for frying to 375 degrees.

2. While the oil is heating up, peel the green plantains and then cut them into 3/4 inch slices.

3. Fry the slices in the hot oil for 3 minutes. They should be a light golden color and semi-soft.

4. Remove the plantain slices with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.

5. When the plantain slices are cool enough to handle (about 1 minute), smash them into flat rounds.

6. Fry the rounds in the hot oil for 3 minutes. They will turn crisp and golden brown.

7. Remove the slices with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.

8. In a mortar and pestle, mash together the bacon, garlic, peppers, onion and olive oil a little at a time until everything is incorporated.

9. Add the broth. If the stuffing is not moist enough, add more broth until you get the consistency you prefer.

10. Serve the stuffing as it is or stuff your turkey and follow cooking instructions on the turkey package.

Note: We don’t suggest cooking the stuffing in the turkey, as tempting as that may be. Dirty bird juices in your mofongo can make you sick, leaving you a pale, bedridden wretch getting your stomach pumped while weakly croaking, “Mo… fon… go.” Unpretty.
Green Plantain Turkey Stuffing [About.com]