These savory plantain cakes are a delicious side dish for any meal and take only minutes to prepare. Simply serve them alongside your favorite dipping sauce and enjoy!
I just recently reviewed a set of rosé wines, and one of the pairings I suggested was simply out in the sun with friends and perhaps fresh fruit - among a small list of other suggestions. After I posted that, I thought to myself "How utterly boring and out of character for me," if I were to actually follow that first bit of pairing advice. So, I thought to myself, what would I 'actually' pair with a balmy August day out on the porch with a very light, very fruit-forward rosé wine?
Surprisingly, I didn't get quite the answer I was looking for. Indeed, I was a fair bit too stubborn to cooperate with…well, 'myself.'
Being the stubborn, set-in-my-ways 'gourmet' that I am, I kept answering myself, out loud on more occasions than I care to admit, with such antics as "But I wouldn't be drinking a super-light fruity wine!" "But why not sangria instead?" "Super light? Fruity? I'm no Millennial!"
Yes, this rosé craze is something I'm struggling with, but then it struck me. I recalled one of the first sangria recipes I had ever learned, and it was a largely a 'fruit forward' affair, and the pairing was a savory platter of plantain cakes with an herbed sour cream based dip. The two complimented each other fantastically to create a quintessential 'under the sun' or 'balmy day in the shade' appetizer.
Naturally, that's where today's recipe comes in - Plantain Cakes.
Savory Plantain Cakes
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 10-12 plantain cakes 1x
Ingredients
- 3-4 small ripened plantains
- 1/2 cup AP flour
- 1/3 cup cornmeal
- Salt and Pepper to taste
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 2 teaspoons oregano
- 1/4 cup grated cheese
- 1/3 cup buttermilk
- 1/3 cup scallions
- 4 cloves garlic
- Oil for frying
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients in a food processor until well combined. The mixture should be like a thick batter.
- In a medium cast iron pan, heat oil. Once the oil is hot enough, drop heaping tablespoons worth of batter into the hot oil. Fry for about 3 minutes on each side or until golden and crispy around the edges.
- Lay the cakes out onto a paper towel lined cooling rack.
- Serve while hot alongside sour cream or your favorite sauce.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
To start things off, we begin by combining the ingredients listed below in a food processor, and pulsing until the mixture is thick and batter-like. We then heat a large cast iron frying pan with oil, and carefully place tablespoons of the batter into the oil, and let each portion fry for about three minutes, or until they are nice and golden.
You'll want to serve these while they're hot, and just like that you've got a great snack for a balmy summer day.
Enjoy with Love!
8
Stephanie says
Absolutely delicious! I added jalapeños too.
Tina says
Catherine! These look so delicious! I cannot wait to get the ingredients and make this recipe 🙂
Daniela says
I'm originally from Costa Rica where we make all sorts of sweet and savory treats with plantains, so this recipe really reminded me of home. I particularly love the idea of serving them with sour cream. Yum!
Catherine Brown says
Oh, wow! These look delicious! I haven't used plaintains often... you've inspired me to get on it! I like the use of cornmeal here too. 😉
Susie Anderson says
I'm not a huge lover of fruity wines, but I do love rosé. And I have to agree that this is the most perfect pairing for a nice summer day. I'd also eat these all by themselves 🙂