Today’s recipe is a delicious Dominican staple made from mashed green plantains, served with cooked onions, fried cheese, and/or a fried egg or fried salami. My wife makes this amazing dish for me, but today I made it for myself since she is away visiting family in the Dominican Republic. I was missing her and craving her cooking so I took matters into my own hands. This dish is simple to prepare – a real treat for a busy weeknight dinner or a relaxing weekend breakfast. Now I know some of you that have never enjoyed plantains may think mashed ‘bananas’ sounds gross, but plantains are a magical ingredient. Whether enjoyed fried and mashed as mofongo or twice fried as tostones, these tropical green gems are worth seeking out and enjoying. Trust me, mangú amazing and I am glad my wife introduced me to it. And now, I am introducing it to you!

In a medium saucepan, heat the water to boiling. Add the salt to water. Wash, cut off each end and peel the plantain. Cut into sections and halve them for quicker cooking. Add the plantains to the salted water and gently boil until soft, approximately 15 – 20 minutes.

While the plantains cook, heat the oil over Medium heat in a small frying pan with a cover. Add the onions and begin to soften them, approximately 3 minutes.

Add the vinegar and cover, reducing the heat to Medium-Low, stirring occasionally so they do not brown. When the plantains are soft, remove to a bowl, reserving the cooking liquid.

Mash the plantains with a fork, adding spoonfuls of the cooking water to make a smooth puree.

Plate the mashed plantains and add the oil/vinegar mixture from the onions to achieve the final smooth consistency and enhance the flavor. Top with the softened and cooked onions. Serve with fried cheese (in my area, halloumi is the cheese I have found that works best) and/or a fried egg.

Here is the finished dish! Doesn’t it look delicious?

Enjoy!