Tostones

The first time I tried tostones was recently in Spain, and while they are more of a Central/Latin American dish, I've never had them in Houston. I guess I didn't know that they were vegan, but they sure are because the ingredients are just three: unripe plantains, salt, and oil.

I got a hankering so I set out to recreate the tostones. This recipe is not for y'all oil-free vegans. It's a serious business of double frying. The key to getting that nice thin patty is frying the cut plaintain until slightly brown, removing them from the oil, and pressing them down with the flat bottom of a heavy pan. Then you pop them into the hot oil again and fry until they are crispy, but not too brown. While they are hot, give them a nice sprinkle of some coarse salt (I've been really into using pink Himalayan cause I'm fancy like that).

I served these tostones with a side of rice and black beans, fresh salsa, and a lime wedge. They were phenomenal! So crisp and perfect to dip in the salsa. This meal was really quick and cheap, although maybe not the healthiest...so it won't be added to my weekly meal rotation, but it's dern tasty (and would be great with some cold cerveza).