TASTE
Go Brazilian: Turn cooking bananas into 'tacos'
| • | Gourmet amigos |
By Wanda A. Adams
Advertiser Food Editor
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Here's a taste of chef Jeffrey Mora's spicy, Caribbean and South American-influenced cooking style.
The first recipe uses mashed roasted plantains (cooking bananas) to form small round discs — "tacos" — topped with a simple shrimp mixture. To make it easy, Mora uses spice mixtures invented by his friend, Paul Prudhomme. If you don't want to deal with plantains, or can't find them, use warmed corn tortillas.
PLANTAIN TACOS WITH SPICY SHRIMP
Make a slit across the length of the plantain and place it on a foil-lined baking pan in a 350-degree oven for about 1 hour, until the juices begin to bubble out. Remove, peel and place in a mixer with Vegetable Magic and mix just until smooth.
When cool, place small balls in a tortilla press or shape by hand into six (3-inch) flat, round taco shells. Cover with damp towel until ready to use.
Chop shrimp into small pieces and place in a bowl with half the oil and the Seafood Magic. Mix well.
Place a large, nonstick pan over medium-high heat and add remaining oil. Heat, then add the plantain taco shells to the pan and brown on both sides. Place on warmed plates.
In the same pan over high heat, cook shrimp for 3 to 4 minutes until pink and cooked through; add three tablespoons of mango relish to the shrimp. Fill tacos with shrimp mixture. Place 1 or 2 teaspoons of relish on top of each taco shell and serve.
Makes 2 servings (3 tacos each).
MANGO CHILI RELISH
Place red onion, jalapeno and water in pan. Cook over medium-high heat until water has cooked away. Place in a mixing bowl, add lime juice and mix well. Chill 15 minutes in refrigerator; add remaining ingredients and mix well.
Flan — custard with caramel sauce — is beloved throughout the Caribbean and Mexico. Here's Mora's version, accented with coconut and coffee flavors.
COCONUT COFFEE CARAMEL FLAN
For the caramel:
For the flan:
To make the caramel: In a small, heavy saucepan, bring sugar and water to a boil, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Boil syrup, without stirring, until it's a golden caramel. Immediately pour a little of the caramel into each of 6 ramekins, tilting them to coat the bottom and sides. Let caramel cool.
If desired, drizzle any remaining caramel on to a sheet of parchment or waxed paper in decorative squiggles. Let the squiggles harden and use them as a garnish for the flan.
To make the flan: Heat the oven to 325 degrees. In a large bowl, whisk together condensed milk, coconut milk, eggs, vanilla and coffee until smooth. Divide the mixture among the ramekins.
Place the ramekins in a shallow baking dish and place on the middle rack in the oven. Pour in enough hot water to reach halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Bake the flan until just set, but still wiggly in the center, about 30 to 45 minutes. Transfer the flan to a rack and let cool. Chill the flan in the refrigerator. (The flan can be prepared up to 3 days in advance.)
When ready to serve, dip the ramekins in a saucepan of hot water. Using a finger, gently press down the edges of the flan, until the caramel runs up the side, which indicates that it's loosened. Invert each flan onto a plate. Break the caramel squiggles into pieces and insert them into the top of each flan.
Makes 6 servings.
Reach Wanda A. Adams at wadams@honoluluadvertiser.com.
