Trifongo con Caldo

Description

A fusion of Taino, Spanish, and African influences, Puerto Rican cuisine is vibrant and flavorful. Many dishes include root vegetables, rice, stewed beans, and an accompanying protein.

A popular dish is Mofongo, made with mashed fried green plantains mixed with garlic, herbs, olive oil, and pork cracklings. This recipe is a trifecta Mofongo that uses fried green plantains, yellow plantains, and yuca, or cassava root. It is sat in a bowl of a simple broth, or caldo, to help balance the richness and bring out all of the flavors.

Ingredients

Trifongo

• 1 lb. Frozen yuca chunks
• 2 sprigs fresh culantro, roughly chopped
• 1 tsp. whole black peppercorns
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 medium green plantains, chopped into pieces
• 2 medium sweet yellow plantains, chopped into pieces
• vegetable oil, for frying
• 1/2 cup garlic cloves, mashed
• kosher salt
• 2 cups prk rinds, crushed
• 4 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
• Adobo seasoning (Goya, Badia, etc.), to taste

Chicken Caldo

• 4 cups chicken broth or stock
• 1 sprig culantro
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1/2 tbsp whole black peppercorns
• 1/2 tbsp smoked Spanish paprika
• 1/2 cumin seeds, optional

Steps

Note: This recipe is fairly straightforward, but requies a bit of multitasking. The steps that pertain to the trifongo will be labeled with a T, and caldo steps with a C to include their specific ingredients. Have all of your ingredients readily available. Lets begin!

1. T: In a large pot, add the yuca, chopped culantro, garlic cloves and bay leaf and bring to a boil. Cook until fork tender, drain, discard the herbs and spices and set aside in a large mixing bowl.
2. C: While the yuca is boiling, work on the caldo by combining the chicken broth, culantro sprig, bay leaf, garlic cloves, peppercorns, paprika, and cumin seeds in a medium saucepan. Bring to a gentle boil and cook for 15-20 minutes. Strain out and discard the herbs and spices and reduce the heat to low to keep warm.
3. Add oil to a frying pan and fry the yellow plantains over medium heat until golden brown on both sides. Place into the large mixing bowl.
4. Next fry the green plantains until golden and place in the large mixing bowl.
5. T: When the yuca, green plantains, and yellow plantains are in the bowl together, add a large pinch of salt, the crushed pork rinds, mashed garlic cloves, and the melted butter. Using a potato masher, work all ingredients into a mass. Season with adobo and more salt to your liking.
6. Using a small teacup or with your hands (authentic way), shape the trifongo mass and place in a soup bowl.
7. Finally, ladle a cup of the warm broth over the trifongo, serve and enjoy!