Fried Plantains, aka Tostones

Tostones with grilled cheese and Cooking Light's Chunky Gazpacho

Plantains are everywhere here and they are inexpensive.  So I decided I need to learn to cook them.  The good thing about them is that you can cook and eat them at any stage -- when they are green they are more like a root vegetable, when they are yellow they are sweeter, and when they are black they are really sweet.  I made tostones when the plantain was yellow with brown spots, but I think you can make them when it is green or black, too.  I made these the other night and they were delicious -- I am brave and confident enough to say that they rivaled Kuba Kuba's (in Richmond) tostones.  Bring it!

Tostones

Ingredients
•Plantains (use the green ones that aren't ripe yet, or ones that have just turned yellow)
•Oil for frying
•Salt or garlic salt (I use Trade Joe's Everyday Seasoning, a yummy mixture of seasonings in a grinder)

Preparation:
1.  Heat the oil in a pan.
2.  While the oil is heating up, peel the plantains and then cut them into 3/4 inch slices.  Sprinkle both sides with seasoning.
3.  Fry the slices in the hot oil for 3 minutes. They should be a light golden color and semi-soft.
4.  Remove the plantain slices with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.
5.  When the plantain slices are cool enough to handle (about 1 minute), smash them into flat rounds with the back of a large spoon.
6.  Fry the flattened rounds in the hot oil for 3 minutes. They will turn crisp and golden brown.
7.  Remove the tostones with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.
8.  Eat 'em up!!!!