Plantain Soup – Sopa de Platanos

By Three Guys From Miami

Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 60 minutes
Total time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Yield: 6 servings

The classic soup of tender plantains in savory chicken broth.

INGREDIENTS:

1/4 cup olive oil for sautéing
1 cup celery diced
1 cup onion, finely chopped
1 1/2 cups carrots, shredded
5 cloves garlic, minced
6 cups chicken stock
2 large green plantains, peeled, and sliced in one-inch pieces
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon Bijol powder
1 bay leaf
salt and black pepper to taste
1/2 cup cilantro chopped

Sauté celery, onion, and carrots in olive oil in an eight-quart stockpot until onions are soft and translucent. Stir in the minced garlic and sauté an additional minute. Pour in chicken stock and bring to a boil. Add plantains, cumin, Bijol powder, and bay leaf. Bring back to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for about one hour, or until the plantains are tender.

Remove and discard bay leaf. With a slotted spoon, remove one cup of the vegetables from the soup and puree in a food processor or blender.

Add puree back into the soup and continue cooking on low heat for five additional minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Taste it. Adjust seasonings as necessary.

Stir in 1/2 cup chopped cilantro. Serve in stoneware bowls garnished with sprigs of cilantro.

Ripe Plantain Soup

INGREDIENTS:

Cut the ripe plantain into diagonal slices. In a large sauce pan, sauté the plantain in a little melted butter. Add the minced garlic and continue cooking until the plantains are brown on all sides. Use a food processor, blender, or electric mixer to puree completely. Gradually add the chicken stock, lemon juice and brown sugar with a whisk.

Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, and simmer for about 20 minutes.

Season with salt and pepper. Taste it. Re-season as necessary. Serve hot.

Jorge Castillo:We occasionally like this version that uses ripe, sweet plantains.

Glenn Lindgren: One secret? Make sure that your plantains are very ripe – the skin should be black and the flesh soft.

1 clove garlic, minced
4 cups chicken stock
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon brown sugar
3 large ripe plantains, peeled
Salt and pepper to taste
Butter for sautéing

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