Gather the ingredients for sweet golden maduros with mint mojo
To make this easy dish even easier, get your mise en place set up before starting to cook. To make the fried plantains, you’ll need ripe plantains and enough neutral oil to shallow fry them (canola or vegetable oil will do well). To make the sauce, grab some fresh mint leaves for that burst of freshness, zesty lemon juice, vibrant fresh orange juice, garlic cloves to infuse the sauce with a delightful kick, fragrant parsley to add depth, capers for a touch of brininess, small onion to balance the flavors, and finally, olive oil, which binds everything together and adds a rich, savory note to the overall creation.
Fry the plantains
The first step in creating this Latin dish is to prepare the plantains. By peeling and slicing them into rounds about half an inch thick, you ensure that they cook evenly and turn out perfectly sweet and crispy.
Frying the plantains in a pan over medium heat with a generous amount of oil is essential to achieve that lovely golden-brown exterior. While frying, you can experiment with the cooking time slightly to adjust the level of crispiness to your preference. A shorter fry will produce a softer texture, while a longer fry will make them extra crispy.
Make the mint mojo
While the plantains are sizzling away, it’s the perfect time to prepare the minty dipping sauce. This sauce adds a burst of flavor to the dish, and its fresh, tangy notes complement the sweetness of the plantains.
To make the sauce, add all the remaining ingredients to a food processor or a high-speed blender. You can experiment with the sauce’s consistency by adjusting the blending time. A shorter blend will produce a chunkier sauce, while a longer blend will make it smoother. Feel free to taste and adjust the sauce by adding more of any ingredient to suit your personal preference.
Serve it up
Once the plantains are perfectly fried and the mint mojo sauce is ready, it’s time to bring it all together. Serving the plantains with the sauce and extra lemon wedges adds that final touch of flavor and zest.
You can also get creative with the presentation by arranging the plantains on a platter and drizzling the sauce over them for an elegant look. Remember, this dish is versatile, and you can adjust the cooking times and sauce quantities to match your taste. Serve it with a nice, frosty mojito cocktail, and a melty Cuban sandwich for a main course.
Leftovers can be enjoyed as a snack or side dish for the next few days, offering a convenient and tasty option. Just make sure to keep the sauce and plantains separate to avoid them getting soggy.
