Mofongo with Shrimp
While shooting his Food Network show, Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives, Guy Fieri stopped at Benny’s Seafood in Miami to try mofongo, a Puerta Rican comfort food. “The chef pulled out a wooden pilón (a kind of mortar) as big as a tree trunk and filled it with fried green plantains, garlic, salt and chicharrones (crunchy pork rinds). Then he used a baseball bat to mash it together.” The dish is served with chicken broth on the side or topped with meat or seafood, like sautéed shrimp.
Ingredients:
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 3/4 ounce fried pork rinds, crushed (1/2 packed cup)
- 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- vegetable oil for frying
- 2 large green plantains (about 12 ounces each), peeled and cut into 1-inch-thick rounds
- salt
- freshly ground pepper
- 1 pound medium shrimp, shelled and deveined
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
Direction
- In a bowl, combine two-thirds of the minced garlic cloves with the pork rinds and 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and mash to combine.
- In a large saucepan, heat 1 inch of vegetable oil to 350°. Add the plantains and fry, keeping the oil at about 300°, until very tender, but not browned, 15 minutes. Drain and transfer the plantains to a large bowl. Using a potato masher, mash the plantains to a coarse puree with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Add the garlic–pork rind mixture and mash until evenly combined. Season the mofongo with salt and pepper; keep warm.
- In a large skillet, heat the remaining 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons of olive oil until shimmering. Add the shrimp and remaining garlic, season with salt and pepper and cook over high heat, stirring occasionally, until curled, about 2 minutes. Add the wine and boil until nearly evaporated and the shrimp are cooked through, about 2 minutes longer.
- Spoon the mofongo into bowls and top with the shrimp. Serve right away.
