Here we go with another recipe using one of my favorite ingredients, plantains! If you have already checked out my other recipes, you may have come across my plantain waffles. If not, make sure to check it out and of course enjoy this recipe!
There’s a chance you may have had croquettes before. If so, you probably remember them having a potato filling. Croquettes are a common side dish in many different countries and are often made using mashed potatoes, filled with cheese or other ingredients, breaded and then fried. My favorites and my influence for this recipe, are those from Spain.
Of course I had to put my own spin on the croquettes and once again, I wanted to use sweet plantains in a different way. I added in slightly rendered prosciutto as a meat filling and some green onions. You can easily substitute the prosciutto with bacon, ground beef of even pancetta.
Croquettes do not need any type of sauce and can be enjoyed as-is. I decided to make a take on a romesco sauce using garlic, red wine vinegar, dijon mustard, a slice of buttered bread (toasted), roasted red peppers, cotija cheese, olive oil and salt & pepper.
Sweet Plantain Croquettes
Mashed plantains filled with prosciutto, breaded and fried
- 2 plantains (ripe)
- 2 oz diced prosciutto
- ¼ cup green onions (chopped)
- ½ tsp smoked paprika
- ¼ cup flour
- 1 egg
- ½ cup flour (for breading)
- 1½ cup panko breadcrumbs (for breading)
- oil (for frying)
- salt & pepper (to taste)
Bring a medium pot of water (enough to cover the plantains) to a boil. Peel and halve plantains, then add them to the pot of boiling water to cook through. This should take about 5 – 7 minutes.
While the plantains boil, add the prosciutto to a medium pan and cook on medium-high heat for 3 minutes to render it. No need to get it too crispy. Set it aside once complete.
Once plantains are done, transfer them to a mixing bowl and mash until they're broken down. Roughly dice the rendered prosciutto and add it to the plantains. Add in the green onions, smoked paprika, ¼ cup flour and salt & pepper to taste. Mix to combine.
Toss the batter in the freezer for about 5 minutes to allow it to firm up. This will make it easier for shaping.
Add about ½ inch to 1 inch of canola oil to a pot or pan with over medium heat and heat to 350°F. While the oil heats up, get the croquettes ready.
Crack and beat the egg in a small bowl. Pour ½ cup of flour to another empty bowl and the panko into yet another.
Grab a spoonful of the mixture and form it into a 1 inch ball. Use wet hands or a form to swirl each ball around in the egg wash, then the flour and finally, the panko breadcrumbs. Place on a plate until all the croquettes are formed.
Add the croquettes to the hot oil, carefully making sure to not overcrowd the pan. Allow to fry until the croquettes get golden brown. Depending on how much oil is used or your pan size, you may need to roll the croquettes around to get all sides golden brown.
Set the cooked croquettes on a wire rack and continue with the other batches until complete.
Enjoy!
