20 Minutes 
4 people
By Doreen Colondres
In this recipe I want to combine Mexico and Puerto Rico... I assure you that it is weeelll understood in your mouth. The "mofongo" of Puerto Rico and the shrimp of the coast of Veracruz in my beloved Mexico.
What you need for the "mofongo":
- Canola or sunflower oil (to fry)
- 3-4 "plátanos verdes" (green plantains, plátanos machos)
- 6 garlic cloves
- 1 teaspoon of dry parsley
- 1/4 cup of olive oil
- Unsalted butter, melted (to taste)
- Pork "chicharrón" -optional - (fried pork skin)
- Salt to taste
What you need to do:
- In a mortar or "pilón," add the garlic with a pinch of salt, "machaca" and transfer to a bowl, with olive oil, parsley and leave on the side untill needed.
- Cut the ends of the plantains and proceed to peel them. Then cut the plantains in rounds of about 1 inch wide more or less.
- In a deep pan or fryer, heat the oil to 325-350 degrees and fry the plantains for about 10 minutes or until they are cooked inside, without allowing them to burn outside. You have to fry them for double the time you would a " tostón" (patacón) which you fry for 5 minutes then crush and re-fry.
- Immediately after removing them from the hot oil place in the mortar and mash them, add garlic oil, pork “chicharrón”, and butter (to soften) as you mash them slowly. Don't make them all at once, so that you can manage the texture and taste. Try tasting it and see if you need more oil, garlic or butter; if so keep adding more.
- When mash is all ready, start making the mini mofongos like preparing meatballs.
- When finished, insert one shrimp with one mofongo on the skewer and serve immediately.
What you need for the shrimp:
- 1 spoon of olive oil
- 1-2 pounds of shrimp, medium sized (cleaned and peeled)
- 1 can 14.5 pear tomatoes
- 1 white onion chopped into small pieces
- 3-4 cloves of garlic chopped into tiny pieces
- 1/4 cup (cebollinos de cambray) green onions (4)
- 1 fresh "serrano chile", without seeds, chopped into tiny pieces
- 1 teaspoon of grated orange
- 1 teaspoon of fresh thyme
- Salt and fresh cilantro to taste if you like
What you need to do:
- In a frying pan heat up the oil at medium high. Add the shrimp salted to taste, let cook for about 2 minutes on each side. Then remove the shrimp.
- In the same frying pan add the garlic for 2 minutes ( add more oil if needed), then add the white onion and cook for 5 more minutes. Then add the green onions, the "chile serrano", the grated orange, the thyme and let fry for 3 more minutes.
- Add the tomatoes and let it all come to a boil. Then reduce the heat and let cook for 10 minutes so all the flavors mix... the more time you give it the richer the taste.
- Then add the shrimp and let them mix with the sauce and finish cooking.
- Add salt to taste if need be.
