Mofongo with Garlic Pork Crackling
Puerto Rican dinner for one, on the table in 29 minutes.
Per portion
Calories from protein 7%, carbs 36%, fat 57%. Estimated from the ingredients.
Roughly £2.00 a portion.
Method
- 1
Fry the plantain slices in the olive oil for 8–10 minutes, turning, until golden and tender.
- 2
Meanwhile, fry the pork in a dry pan, turning, until crisp and golden with no pink in the middle: 12–15 minutes for belly slices, or 6–8 minutes for lardons. Remove, keeping the fat in the pan.
- 3
Fry the crushed garlic in the pork fat for 30 seconds until fragrant.
- 4
In a bowl, mash the fried plantain with the garlic, a little of the pork fat, and a splash of stock until roughly mashed. Season with salt.
- 5
Stir most of the crispy pork through the mash, pack into a bowl, and top with the remaining pork. Serve with the lime wedge.
Cook's notes
- Sizes. Vegetables, fruit and eggs are medium unless the recipe says otherwise. A tin is a standard 400g tin.
- Dairy. Salted or unsalted butter both work; with salted, go easy on any extra salt. Use full-fat soured cream, crème fraîche and yoghurt in anything hot, as low-fat versions split.
- Stock. A cube or pot made up as the packet says. Cubes are salty, so taste before adding more salt.
- Heat. Medium means a gentle sizzle, not spitting. High means the oil shimmers before the food goes in. A simmer is a few lazy bubbles, not a rolling boil. Leave the lid off unless the recipe says to cover.
- Pans. A small saucepan is about 16cm and a frying pan about 24cm. Sauces reduce faster in a wider pan, so go by how it looks rather than the clock.
- Doneness. Chicken and turkey should reach 75°C in the thickest part, pork 65 to 70°C, and beef steak 55°C for medium-rare. Rest steaks and chops for a few minutes before slicing.
- Finishing. Taste before serving. Most dishes want a pinch more salt, and a squeeze of lemon or a splash of vinegar lifts anything rich.
- Leftovers. Cool quickly, cover and keep in the fridge for up to 2 days, then reheat until piping hot. Cooked rice keeps for 1 day and should only be reheated once.
solosupper.co.uk/recipes/mofongo-with-garlic-pork-crackling/
