Fufú de Plátano con Chicharrones
Fufú de Plátano con Chicharrones·(foo-foo deh plah-tah-no kohn chee-chah-ro-nehs)
Viandas & Sides (The Supporting Cast)
If you want to know what a Cuban grandmother’s kitchen smells like on a Tuesday evening, this is it. Fufú de plátano is the ultimate Cuban comfort food, a masterful, deeply savory collision of starchy Caribbean plantains and rich, rendered pork fat that traces its roots straight back to West Africa. The secret—the trick the abuelas know—is the ratio: mostly rigid green plantains for structure, cut with a single semi-ripe one for a whisper of sweetness. By swapping the traditional, time-consuming raw pork belly for thick-cut bacon, you get the exact same crispy, salty crunch and smoky fat required to build the garlic-citrus mojo in a fraction of the time. It's approachable, wildly flavorful, and exactly what home tastes like.
Ingredients
- green plantain3 large
- semi-ripe plantain1 large
- thick-cut bacon8 oz
- red onion1/2 med
- garlic clove5 med
- lime1 large
- kosher salt1 tsp
- black pepper1/2 tsp
Method
- 01
Score and boil the plantains with their skins on to skip the frustration of peeling them raw.
Cut the ends off all four plantains and make two shallow slits down the length of each, cutting just through the skin. Cut them into 2-inch chunks, place in a large pot covered with salted water, and simmer until fork-tender, about 30 minutes.
- 02
Slowly render the bacon to extract maximum fat and crispy bits.
Place the chopped bacon in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Cook for 10 to 12 minutes until crispy, then remove the meat with a slotted spoon and drain on a paper towel, leaving all the beautiful rendered fat in the pan.
- 03
Build the warm mojo directly in the residual pork fat.
Return the skillet to medium heat, add the red onion, and sauté until translucent. Add the mashed garlic for 60 seconds until deeply fragrant, turn off the heat entirely, and stir in the fresh lime juice.
- 04
Reserve the starchy boiling water before draining and peeling the plantains.
Scoop out about half a cup of the boiling liquid. Drain the plantains, and once they are just cool enough to handle, slide the softened skins off and discard them.
- 05
Mash the plantains into a coarse, rustic texture.
Transfer the hot plantains to a large bowl and mash with a heavy fork or potato masher. Slowly pour in the reserved starchy water a few tablespoons at a time until the mash is moist but holds its shape—do not aim for smooth mashed potatoes.
- 06
Fold the warm mojo and crispy pork into the mash.
Pour the warm garlic, onion, and lime fat over the plantains. Add the salt, black pepper, and half the bacon bits, stirring vigorously so the plantains absorb all the flavor.
- 07
Garnish with the remaining bacon and serve immediately.
Transfer the fufú to a serving dish and top with the rest of the crispy pork to serve alongside a simple protein or rich stew.
Notes
Sourcing the perfect semi-ripe plantain.
If you cannot find a 'pintón' (yellow peel with black spots) at the market, buy a green one and leave it on the counter for 3 to 5 days until it begins to turn yellow.
Substituting for green plantains entirely.
If you are in a rush and only have rock-hard green plantains, the recipe still works beautifully; it will simply be slightly denser and more savory. Ensure you use the starchy boiling water to keep the mash from drying out.
From Cook Cuban in America.