A Day for Plantains

Today was a day for plantains. I had a hankering for some so I went to the store and got three large ones. I fried them in butter. I melted two sticks in the pan with some Sugar in the Raw and some cinnamon. I hated that mixture till it was hot but not burning the sugar. Then in went the plantains. I fried them up for about 5 minutes and I have not been able to stop eating. The sugar has caramelized some and boy are they good. The plantains have a kind of sugary crust that is sweet and just a little crunchy.

The plantain (or platanos) is a banana, musa paradisiaca, which is eaten cooked rather than raw. Plantain are eaten in most tropical countries of the world. The largest exporters of bananas are the northern portions of South America as well as Central America. The fruit is primarily carbohydrate, approximately 40 grams per 1/2 banana and about 180 calories. Like the common yellow banana, the fruit is very high in potassium approximately 500 milligrams per serving. The plantain is normally eaten as a starchy staple food. It can be boiled, baked, or fried and served as a vegetable or made into a sweet dessert, depending on the degree of ripeness of the fruit.

Now I have just about eaten them all. I have about 1 whole plantain left that has been cut up. At this rate I will have to buy some more for later this week. Today has really been a treat!

How To Select a Plantain
Plantains can be prepared at any stage of ripeness. Make sure to pick a recipe appropriate for the fruit you have on hand.

Green: When the plantain is green it is quite starchy and the flavor is much like a potato. The green fruit can be fried or boiled.

Yellow: When the plantains yellow the sugars begin to develop and impart a slight sweetness to the fruit. At this stage the fruit may show a few freckles of black.

Black: The plantain is at it's sweetest once it turns black. Normally you would want to use black plantains for dessert or any recipe where a sweet taste is desirable. You may purchase yellow plantains and store them in a paper bag until then ripen and turn black.

You can chase a butterfly all over the field and never catch it. But if you sit quietly in the grass it will come and sit on your shoulder.
~~Unknown~~