Lauren Vied Allen (Courtesy Chronicle Books). Lauren Vied Allen (Courtesy Chronicle Books)
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When Von Diaz, author of Islas: A Celebration of Tropical Cooking, thinks of her Puerto Rican roots, she always thinks of mofongo: a dish of fried green plantains crushed with garlic and topped with everything from chicharrón (fried pork skins) to a rich tomato gravy. This version, based on her grandmother’s recipe, features tender shrimp and a savory seafood broth infused with bright lemongrass. The dish is a classic example of the creativity and ingenuity of island cooking, and represents a fusion of Indigenous and African ingredients and techniques and Spanish flavors.
Use the greenest plantains you can find, as yellow plantains will taste and behave very differently, then mash while the fried plantains are still warm, as they will firm up quickly. The tender mofongo may fall apart once you add the stock and top with the shrimp, so plan to serve immediately.
Adapted from Islas: A Celebration of Tropical Cooking by Von Diaz, © 2024. Published by Chronicle Books.
Featured in “What Makes Island Cooking So Unique? Author Von Diaz Explains” by Jessica Carbone.
Yield: 4 Time:
