Patacones con Hogao

The story

Patacones con Hogao is a Colombian starter with a clear sense of place. Patacones are found across Colombia and the wider Caribbean and northern South America. In Colombia they are especially common on coastal and tropical tables, where green plantain is a major savoury starch. The recipe below keeps the defining ingredients and technique intact while giving practical metric quantities and enough detail for a home cook to judge texture, seasoning and doneness rather than simply follow a timer.

Ingredients

• 3 piece green plantains
• 700 ml neutral frying oil
• 1 tsp fine salt
• 350 g tomatoesfinely chopped
• 150 g Spring onionsfinely sliced
• 6 g Garlicminced
• 0.5 tsp ground cumin
• 15 ml neutral oilfor hogao

Method

1. For the hogao, cook spring onions in

   For the hogao, cook spring onions in 15 ml oil over medium-low heat for 4 minutes. Add tomatoes, garlic, cumin and a pinch of salt and simmer 12–15 minutes until soft, glossy and jammy.

   Look for: soft, glossy and jammy Tip: Keep the first fry pale. Its purpose is to soften the plantain so it can be flattened, not to create the final crust. Avoid: Using ripe plantain makes sweet soft discs; flattening before the first fry cooks through causes cracking; saucing too early destroys crispness.

2. Score the plantain skins lengthways and prise

   Score the plantain skins lengthways and prise them off. Cut the flesh into 4 cm chunks.

3. Heat frying oil to 165°C and fry

   Heat frying oil to 165°C and fry plantain chunks for 4–5 minutes until pale gold and just tender inside. Drain for 2 minutes.

   Look for: pale gold and just tender inside

4. Flatten each piece between two boards or

   Flatten each piece between two boards or with the base of a saucepan to 8–10 mm thick. If the edges split badly, the first fry was too short.

5. Raise the oil to 180°C and fry

   Raise the oil to 180°C and fry the flattened plantains for 2–3 minutes until crisp and deeper gold. Drain and salt immediately.

   Look for: crisp and deeper gold

6. Spoon warm hogao over the patacones only

   Spoon warm hogao over the patacones only at the moment of serving so the plantain keeps its crunch.

   Look for: Patacones sound crisp when tapped, hold their shape under sauce and have no firm raw centre.

Nutrition

per serving

Estimated from the listed ingredients and default serving size. Actual values vary with brands, trimming, absorption and cooking losses.