Chayote Sancochado (Steamed Chayote)

I haven't been blogging much, doesn't mean I haven't cooked, but it's because well my camera is busted still like doesn't work for sh#t, and I haven't made time to buy a new one :/ (anyone wanna mail me one for free hehe just kidding... well not really lol.)

Well I took my Dad's camera yesterday when I was making this very simple vegetable side dish. I wasn't sure to post it because it is so simple, but sometimes people want to know the simple things, or simply know them but never think about it. It's essentially Chayote, steamed in a pot with a little water, you can serve it with squeeze of lime and salt if your on a diet LOL. or if not with a couple pats of butter and some salt. For Cubans it would be best enjoyed with"Mojo de Ajo" (Cuban garlic sauce) but the other two ways mentioned would also be good. This can be a side to just about anything atleast it would fit into any Latin or Spanish meal as a vegetable side no matter the time of the day.

To those that don't know what "Chayote" is it is also known in english as "Alligator Pear", when raw it's texture is hard and crisp yet somewhat slippery? THe taste I can describe it as a cross between a cucumber and Italian or Mexican squash, I've never consumed it raw however. It can be peeled, the center core removed, cut into chunks or however and added to soups or stews. It can be sauteed on it's own,with meat, used in stir-fried, or steamed it is truly very very versatile.

Ingredients:
-3 large Chayotes
-water (enough to fill the pot about 1 inch or 2)

To serve once cooked:
-some butter and salt OR a squeeze of lime and salt OR Mojo de Ajo (Cuban Garlic Sauce)

Directions:
(1) Wash really well, cut in half, then wash again, drain.
(2) Place in a pot with enough water to cover one inch, bring to a boil on high heat, cover, and lower heat to medium.
(3) Steam for 30 minutes until tender.
Here's 4 segments left, my mom was quick to grab some for herself before i was able to even take pictures hehe(4) Serve with a squeeze of lime and salt, or some butter and sprinkle or salt OR if your used to/ or love the pungent Cuban garlic sauce and don't mind the dragon breath feel free to smother it with "Mojo de Ajo"
PLEASE NOTE... the Chayote you can remove the center core if you want, my mom likes to eat it so I leave it, because it will turn tender if cooked long enough, the skin of the chayote for this recipe I leave it on since after steaming a long time it also turns tender. However the front tip and back tip for sometimes will not turn tender and are often cut off after steaming, it's up to you :)

P.S.
I'm labeling this as both Mexican and Cuban because pretty much I've seen Cubans cook it and also Mexicans enjoy it. However serving certain steamed or boiled vegetables (usually root vegetables) with Mojo/ garlic sauce is a Cuban thing :)

If interested in other recipe check out my post for "Guiso de Chayote" (sauteed Chayote squash, I cooked it with pork)

Also it's used in 3 different vegetable soups I've posted check out:
(1) Cocido de Res (Mexican Vegetable and Beef Soup)
(2) Cocido Salvadoreno (Salvadorian Vegetable and Beef Soup)
(3) Caldo de Albondigas (Mexican Meatball Stew)

Sopa de Calabaza (Pumpkin Soup)

The "Calabaza" (squash) used in Cuban cooking is the "Caribbean Squash" which is meaty, starchy, and sweet. However since it isn't readily available here where I live I often use Kabucha Squash (a Japanese variety of squash), butternut and Hubbard squash are also great substitutes.

In Cuban cooking we use "Calabaza" in most of our bean stews, steamed on it's own often served with "mojo de ajo" (garlic citrus sauce) spooned over it, and less commonly as a mash or soup, which here in my post I'm presenting it as a soup.

What makes this soup Cuban? Well doesn't use the "mirepoix" typical of creamy soups, instead what I believe sets it apart from other soups is that it sautee's garlic and onions in olive oil and is spiced with cumin, flavors which are very common in Cuban cooking, which in my opinion sets it apart from other cream soups in other cultures.

This is my version and I hope other's enjoy it :)

Ingredients:
-about 4 lbs. peeled cubed Calabaza (I used Kabucha Squash, butternut, Hubbard, and Caribbean squash are all good choices)
-1 onion minced
-4 cloves garlic minced
-1/4 cup more or less extra-virgin olive oil
-1 teaspoon of ground cumin
-salt to taste
-chicken stock or water with bouillon enough to cover squash (I used about 2 heaping teaspoonfuls of chicken powder)
-3-4 tablespoons butter (optional)
-heavy whipping cream, or half-half even whole milk to add richness (optional anywhere from 1/2- 1 cup)

Directions:
(1) Heat olive oil on medium heat, add minced onion and garlic, meanwhile peel and cube your calabaza (depends what you use, peeling a Kabucha squash is a pain in the @$$ for me, I use a potato peeler, cut it in half, scrape out seeds and cut into chunks)

(2) Keep an eye on your onions and garlic, you don't want it to burn, when caramelized and golden and add your ground cumin and stir about 30seconds until fragrant, add your squash, and add enough chicken stock or water or water with bouillon to barely cover the squash, season with salt to taste, raise heat to high and bring to a boil, lower back to medium and cover.
(3) Allow to simmer on medium heat until Calabaza is tender this took me about 20- 25 minutes. When tender, use a hand-blender to make the soup smooth and creamy, or in small batches blend it in the blender or food processor. I used my hand blender my aunt Helen gave me as a gift :)

(4) Bring back to a simmer, cream or half n half or whole milk if using and butter as well is using. Allow to simmer for about 5-10 more minutes.
(5) Enjoy, you can serve this soup to compliment any meal :)

Guiso de Berenjena (Cuban Eggplant Stew)

This eggplant dish is very healthy in that the eggplant being a vegetable that absorbs a lot of oil doesn't get deep-fried or sauteed in oil instead it is simmered in a savory creole style tomato based sauce with bits of ham, pork or beef for flavor and for freshness minced cilantro or parsley towards the end.

This is my Tata's recipe (grandmother) right now she is at home with us recovering from a fracture she had from a fall, and moved back in temporarily or permanently (the choice is hers I love her) anyways I had 3 Chinese eggplants sitting in the fridge, I was gonna make eggplant in a Chinese fashion braised in "Yuxiang" sauce (sauteed garlic, ginger, scallions, chili peppers, chili bean sauce, soy sauce, salt, sugar brought together with some chicken stock thickened with corn starch to form a sauce can have ground pork, beef, or be vegetarian and if you please some Sichuan peppercorns can be added to add a numbing effect) but knowing my grandmother she wouldn't be able to eat this (doesn't tolerate spiciness and isn't very open to different things) so I wanted to make something with flavors she is more used to.

So I asked her, "Tata I read somewhere about a Cuban eggplant stew do you know a recipe for it or how to make it? Have you ever made it?" she was like sure "do this and that, etc." and so here is the recipe. Let me tell you it was very very delicious and I think I will be making it again :)

Ingredients:
-3 large Chinese Eggplants (or 1 large American one) cut into small cubes
-1 large onion minced
-1 green or red bell pepper minced
-4 cloves garlic mashed to a paste or finely minced
-1/2 lbs. ham or beef or pork meat cut into tiny cubes (like less than 1/2 inch small minced)
-1 can 8 oz. tomato sauce
-2 cups beef broth or water
-salt to taste
-1 teaspoon ground cumin
-1/2 bunch of very finely minced parsley or cilantro
-extra- virgin olive oil (generous amount to coat pan well)

Directions:
(1) Heat oil on medium high, brown chopped meat or ham together with onion and bell pepper, when meat or ham is slightly browned and onions are translucent add garlic, sautee until fragrant.

(2) Add tomato sauce, higher heat to high let it bubble, add beef broth or water bring to a high boil, now add cumin, stir well, taste if it needs more salt.

(3) Add chopped eggplant to boiling sauce, stir well, when boiling cover on medium low for about 5-10 minutes (depends)

(4) Now sprinkle in generous amount of parsley or cilantro and turn off heat. Serve with rice and whatever meat dish you want.

PLEASE NOTE:
*The meat or ham is added for flavor, it's not the main part of the dish. My grandmother say's you can also use a little ground pork or beef instead of tiny cubed meat, and if you don't have ham that can be cut in chunks just chop finely the sliced ham about 4-6 slices. She doesn't like this vegetarian by the way but if you insist go head it will still be delicious in my opinion (common a sofrito, cumin, and beef broth it's bound to be delicious)

*If using American eggplant you may want to peel it.

Guiso de Maiz Tierno (Cuban Corn Stew)

We never made any type of Cuban corn stew in my household, but I was reading "Memories of a Cuban Kitchen" (it's also posted online "Guiso de Maiz" by Mary Urrutia) and I also saw a recipe for "Guiso de Maiz" by Nitza Villapol (the communist Cuban Julia Child) after reading those recipes I felt like making a corn stew (yes even in the summer heat :) so I observed both recipes, both where a bit iffy, I read both recipes to get an understanding of the dish, and then I just cooked it my way to suit my families taste preferences.

My version of the dish is like the Cuban "Potajes" I usually make but instead of being bean/ legume based it's fresh sweet corn based. (Corn is in season so expect some more fresh corn dishes the corn at the store looks beautiful. My grandma taught me a delicous dish with pork meat and corn in a creole sauce very good hopefully I'll have the chance to make that some time soon)

Ingredients:
-1/2 medium sized Calabaza cut in large chunks (like Butternut, Banana, Hubbard, etc. Carribean Squash is what's suppose to be used in Cuban cooking but it's not readily available here where I live and the others make good substitutes, any starchy orange fleshed winter squash will do)
-3 medium potatoes (peeled, and cut into large chunks)
-5 cups fresh corn kernels (I used about 5-6 large corn cobs it made 5 cups)
-2 medium Spanish Chorizo's (or 1/2 a large Spanish CHorizo I used Palacios "Chorizo Español Autentico")
- 1/2 lbs. cubed pork ham
-1/4 cup more or less extra-virgin olive oil
-1 large green bell pepper
-1 large yellow onion
-1/2 head of garlic peeled mashed to a paste
-1 can 8 oz. about 1 cup tomato sauce
-1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
-salt to taste (I used like 2 teaspoons)
-5-6 cups water

Directions:
(1)Heat olive oil in a deep large pot on medium high, sautee cubed pork until browned and renders some fat, add spanish chorizo, sautee until aromatic, now add onion and bell pepper sautee 5-7 minutes until translucent, add garlic sautee 2 minutes, throw in cumin and stir until fragrant like 30-60 seconds. Now add tomato sauce until it stats bubbling let it cook for about 2 minutes. You finally formed you base (sofrito with ham and chorizo)
.... I forgot to take a picture of me adding the tomato sauce but you get the point and sofrito looks damn good already ;)

(2)Add corn kernels stir well, add water, throw in potatoes and calabaza along with water, salt to taste and bring to a strong boil cover and simmer on low 30 minutes, uncover and it's done.

(3)You can serve it alone or if you don't mind all the carbs eat it with bread :) I think a nice salad is good with it to but not nessecarry.

SUPER IMPORTANT NOTE!!!!:
-When peeling the fresh corn cobs do not THROW AWAY the corn "hairs" (those silky looking hairs from the corns inside???? I will show you how to make a refreshing tea with it that we make in my household)

Lastly:
You may be interesterd if you have fresh corn in this Cuban dish I make "Arroz Con Maiz" (Steamed Yellow Rice with Corn)

Boniato Con Mojo (Cuban White Sweet Potato with Garlic Citrus Sauce)

Yet another one of the simple Cuban "Mojo" type dishes. The Mojo de Ajo (garlic citrus sauce) is consumed with a variety of things, we love it especially on starchy tubers like Yuca, Malanga, Ñame, and even Boniato.

Here I will show you what it's like with Boniato. If you can't find "Boniato" any firm WHITE FLESHED sweet potato will be fine. BUT DO NOT TRY TO SUBSTITUTE IT FOR REGULAR ORANGE FLESHED OR PURPLE FLESHED SWEET POTATOES! It will not have the right taste or texture and is just a big no-no.

Just skip it if you can't get white fleshed sweet potatoes (which when steamed or boiled become a light yellowish color)

Main Ingredients:
-Boniato (as much as you wanna make I made 1 pound)
-water to boil Boniato
-salt to salt Boniato's water

Serve with:
-Mojo de Ajo

Directions:
(1)Wash and clean Boniatos, trim of any bad parts if it has any at all (mine was sitting in the fridge for awhile so yeah...) Now place in a pot with enough water to cover completely and salt (or it will discolor) now bring to boil on high cover bring to medium heat and boil until tender about 30 minutes or more. Check with a knife if tender if it can go through fine it's done.

(2)When ready to serve drain, peel and serve with mojo

Other recipes you may find interesting with Mojo or Mojo flavors:

(1)Yuca Con Mojo (Boiled Cassava Root with Mojo)

(2)Yuca Frita (Fried Cassava Root with Mojo)

(3)Col Con Mojo (Cabbage with Mojo)

(4)Calabaza Con Mojo (Winter Squash With Mojo)

(5)Ensalada de Aji (Fire Roasted Peppers in Mojo)

(6)Ñame Con Mojo (True Yam with Mojo)

(7)Pollo al Mojo de Ajo

(8)Pollo Frito a la Criolla

Other recipe with "Boniato":

(1)Boniatillo

(2)Salmon a la Vizcaina

Yuca Frita (Fried Cassava)

Hmmm what to do with leftover boiled Yuca that you used to make "Yuca Con Mojo", after you drained it and now it's all firm and cold, easy make some "Yuca Frita" and serve it with some Mojo, it is delicious and easy.

This is by far my favorite way to eat Yuca, it's like thick Yuca fries or chunks fried til golden with a tasty Mojo (garlic citrus sauce very pungent)

Again I posted this thinking of Nuria from Spanish Recipes because she asked me about Yuca (like I mentioned in my Yuca Con Mojo post) so this is the final dish I am guessing she might've had.

I only know of Yuca about the typical Cuban stuff), either boiled or boiled then fried served with mojo, or boiled mashed and stuffed with Picadillo (cuban ground beef hash) then rolled in egg and cracker meal then fried. I've seen restaurants that make there "Yuca Rellena" (stuffed Yuca) by just splitting Yuca almost in half, stuffing then frying I think that is lazy (because they don't want to go through the trouble of removing the hard parts from teh Yuca. mashing, and rolling in bread crumbs and egg)

Ingredients:
-leftover boiled Yuca that is cold or at room temperature that hasn't been sitting in water
-oil to deep-fry or pan-fry (I use canola oil, peanut oil is good to as well as Sunflower oil so is lard and extra-light olive oil for frying they have a high smoking point and can resist high heat.)

For sauce see click on:
-Mojo recipe

Directions:
(1)Cut cooked Yuca into thick sticks (like a thick Julienne)

(2)Heat oil on high heat crank it up until it is hot enough (I test it by dipping a chop stick in the oil if it bubbles/ sizzles it's ready sometimes I use a wooden spoon to) now add your Yuca and fry until golden brown on all sides. Drain and set aside. (remember oil should be hot because Yuca is cooked already you just want to make it golden and brown, if to low they will start overcooking and fall apart)


(3)Serve with Mojo sauce.

Yuca Con Mojo (Boiled Cassava Root with Garlic Citrus Sauce)

I am posting this recipe for Nuria from Spanish recipes, she told me she enjoyed having Yuca when she visited Cuba years ago but doesn't remember what she exactly had. My guess is she either had "Yuca Con Mojo"(boiled Cassava root in Garlic citrus sauce) or "Yuca Frita" (boiled then fried Cassava root) maybe served with "Chicharrones" (meaty fried pork rinds) or "Masitas de Puerco" (fried pork chunks)

Not sure what she had but I am posting the boiled Cassava with garlic citrus sauce and then later with the leftovers of this I'm posting "Yuca Frita" (fried cassava) I actually made this yesterday but didn't get to making Yuca Frita (I cooked other stuff so I guess I'll make it tomorrow)

I was really thinking about posting this or not because it is a super simple humble dish that is loved but is really easy since I've posted the recipe for the sauce which is the only thing you really need to know how to make, but I'm sure some will appreciate having a little explanation and pictorial for this :)

So without further delay this is how my grandmother taught me to make "Yuca Con Mojo"

Main Ingredients:
-2-4 lbs. Yuca (Cassava root) you can buy fresh or frozen, frozen gaurantee's you good looking Yuca, but I like fresh, but if you are lucky enough to live in a Cuban area with Cuban stores you may be able to find already cooked "canned Yuca" by the brand "Badia"
-water (enough to cover Yuca maybe 1 1/2 inches)
-salt (salt the water and taste it until you think it's right)

For the sauce:
-Mojo de Ajo (click on it and see the pictorial I posted in my blog previously on how to make it)
Directions:
(1)Again I used fresh Yuca, so I had to cut it into large rounds, peel it with a knife, cut it in half, wash it, and then add it to salted water to boil. If you have frozen Yuca just dump it in the salted water and bring to a boil on high boil it until tender about 20-30 minutes on medium heat. To check for doness stab it with a fork.

(2)You don't want to cut your Yuca in small pieces just long big chunks (because you can cut the leftovers into big long strips to fry them if you have leftovers)

(3)Now while the Yuca is cooking prepare "Mojo de Ajo"

(4)After Yuca is cooked drain and spoon over Mojo sauce, that's all it takes serve hot as a side.

(5)If you are not serving this immediately leave the Yuca in the pot of water or else it will cool quicly and turn hard, but if serving soon just drain it, put it in a nice dish, spoon over a little mojo, bring it to the table and let everyone grab some and have more mojo on the side for those that want to add more to theirs.

P.S.

This goes very well with Congri or Moros or even a non-traditional "Congri Con Coco", a salads (our favorite is "Ensalada de Aguacate" or a salad dressed like this "Simple Salad", and any Cuban meat dish. Fried plantains or tostones on the side wouldn't hurt but would be a little excessive.

Potaje de Lentejas de Mi Tata(My Grandmother's Lentil Stew)

I have a couple Lentil Stew recipes in my blog but I hadn't put my grandmother's recipe for lentil stew. My grandmother's Cuban bean based stews are usually very easy straight forward and typical flavors she almost ALWAYS adds orange fleshed winter squash and potatoes and sometimes cabbage (depends what type of legumes she is preparing)

Cuban lentil stews seem to vary a lot among Cubans when it comes to preparation but the common theme I've seen is that there is always garlic, bell pepper, and onions and type of meat the rest varies.

My grandmother's (whom I call "Tata") version of the Lentil stew is either pork or beef stew meat cooked with lentils with a Cuban "sofrito" (garlic, onion, bell pepper) and seasoned with cumin and salt and a couple bay leaves with potatoes and calabaza (orange winter squash in Cuban cooking "Carribean/ Jamaican Squash" is used but if you can't find it you can use Banana Squash or Kabucha or Butternut Squash, you need a meaty starchy squash.

Usually heavy Cuban bean based stews are served as a 1 pot meal with rice and if one wishes a salad on the side or some vegetable side (fried plantains or boiled cassava root with garlic lime sauce, etc. though it is very heavy to serve with boiled cassava root aka Yuca, I did though)

Not before I write the recipe down, this makes a really large pot so maybe you want to cut it in half, in my house we can eat this stuff for like 2-3 days happily or even more the more it sits the stronger the taste and the more we love it. Of course we don't like it spoiled shouldn't last more than 1 week in the fridge.

Ingredients:
-1 1/2 lbs. beef or pork stew meat cut into small 1 inch cubes and cleaned (I mean small, you'll regret it if you don't when ur lentils are cooked through and your meat is still tough so please cut it small)

-2 cups uncooked Lentils
-water (enough to cover lentils 2 inches in water)
-1/4- 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
-1 onion finely minced
-1 green bell pepper finely minced
-6 cloves of garlic finely minced preferably mashed to a paste or through a garlic press
-1 can 8 oz. tomato sauce (for color, I forgot to add it but you should)
-salt to taste
-1 tsp. ground cumin
-2 regular sized bay leaves or 4 small ones
-3 small potatoes peeled and cut into 1 -2 inch chunks
-1/2 a calabaza cut into 1-2 inch chunks (banana squash, kabucha/ Japanese, butternut, or Jamaican/ Carribean squash)

Directions:
(1) Throw lentils in a pot, rinse them and drain, now add water and put it on the stove on high heat covered until it comes to a boil.

(2)While you are waiting for the water and lentils to boil cut meat, clean it and throw it in the pot with the lentils.

(3) While still waiting for the stuff to boil prepare the onion, garlic, bell peppers, and tomato sauce. Heat a pan with olive oil then sautee onions and bell pepper until translucent about 5-7 minutes, add garlic sautee 2 minutes, add tomato sauce stir 1 minute, then throw into the pot of meat and lentils. Season with cumin, and salt add a couple bay leaves and when it is boiling cover and simmer on medium low for about 40-45 minutes.
(4)Meanwhile peel potatoes and cut them into medium pieces and do the same to the squash, set them aside in a bowl with water (so the potatoes don't brown) when 30 minutes have passed uncover lentils stir and add potatoes and squash stir well, taste for salt if it needs more, and then bring back to a boil on high and simmer for another 15 minutes until potatoes and squash are ready.

(5)Serve over rice or in a bowl and eat with bread, if you wish a nice salad on the side. If eating with rice you can wash and clean your rice and put it in the rice cooker while the sofrito is frying so when the lentils are done so is your rice, and you can make the salad or whatever while the lentils cook so you'll be out of the kitchen in 1 hour if you rush and have a complete meal. That's how my grandma taught me :)

P.S.

LASTLY PLEASE FORGIVE ME I FORGOT TO ADD THE CAN OF TOMATO SAUCE TO MY GRANDMAS LENTIL STEW BUT I REALLY WANTED TO SHARE IT SO I POSTED IT ANYWAYS.

Ensalada de Aguacate (Cuban Avocado Salad)

Here is a very typical, traditional, simple Cuban salad. In my house we go crazy for avocados we love them especially served how I will show you here.

Here in Southern California we have wonderful creamy "Hass" avocodoes, they are very creamy and have the highest fat content making them delicious and rich, in Florida (were most of the Cuban community is) they grow different avocados, they are very large and big avocados, but less creamy, non the less we still love them to. My grandmother (my Tata) calls the rich Avocados "Aguacate's de Leche" translates to "Milk Avocado" and the one's with less fat content and are lighter and more "watered" in taste she calls "Aguacate's de Agua" translates to "Water Avocado" probably doesn't make sense in English.

Sometimes in the stores here usually at the small "Bodeguitas" that carry some Cuban products or at Filipino stores I can find the big Florida Avocados, 1 big Florida Avocado can make a big salad or feed 4 people or even more.

I think the Avocados of Cuba where giant big Avocados like the one's from Florida, anyways regardless of anything these large Avocados are awesome they have their own unique goodness.


Ingredients:
-1 large Florida Avocado (you can substitute for 4 regular Avocados more or less)
-2 big fat tomatoes (optional)
-1 red onion (I didn't have it so I used a Yellow Onion, the onion is optional)
-4 juicy Limes
-salt to taste

Directions:
(1)Cut tomato into rounds, and use as a bed on a large plate

(2)Cut avocado in half, then cut out wedges, then peel it, and cut into desired size of long wedge (the large Florida Avocados have to be cut like this they are not like the Hass one's that you have to spoon out)

(3)Now slice onion into very thin rounds, and place thin rounds over avocado to decorate.

(4)Squeeze over the salad lots of lime juice, and sprinkle generously with salt to taste.

Please Note:
(1)Most Cuban salads are just dressed in lime and salt, if it's a tossed salad with leafy greens olive oil is added to the lime and salt.

(2)The only important thing in the salad is the avocado you can do it with just avocado if you wish and squeeze lime and salt over.

Arañitas de Platano (Shredded Green Plantain Fritters)

Okay I saw this in the Cuban cookbook "Memories of a Cuban Kitchen" and I have also seen this recipe online, it comes up all over the place. I've seen some that add grated ginger or garlic, sometimes both, other's do it plain. Other's infuse the oil with garlic then fry these fritters.

Not sure if this is "Cuban" I don't think it is, I have never seen this in Cuban cooking, maybe it's a Puerto Rican thing? Or other Carribean or African thing? Or heck maybe it's part of that weird "Nouveau Cuban Cuisine" I am not fond of (honestly don't mess with tradition if it's already good).

Whatever it is these fritters are delicious and any Cuban would like them.

Here is how I make them after reading around.

Ingredients:
-2 green plantains
-4 cloves garlic
-salt to taste
-oil to pan-fry or deep-fry

Directions:
(1)Mash garlic to a paste in a mortar with some salt.

(2)Grate the plantains on the medium holes of a grater, when all are grated mix well with garlic

(3)Heat oil on medium high heat until hot, then with a spoon grab some of the shredded plantain mixture, press slightly and slide into the hot oil it will crisp fry until golden brown on each side, carefully turn with a fork or with whatever you can.

(4)Put them to drain on a plate with paper towels or paper bags and sprinkle lightly with salt.

P.S.
So the ratio I use is for every 1 green plantain I use 2 cloves of garlic.

I served it with some Cuban Sandwiches I made with leftover lechon and a avocado salad, for dessert we had some "Pastelitos de Guayaba" (Guava Strudels), serve with whatever you want.