When John and I were in Puerto Rico for his birthday last year, we both fell in love with Mofongo - probably because it has every unhealthy ingredient you could think of mashed with plantains and stuffed with meat.  I mean seriously people - what could be wrong with that?  We've been talking about making it for some time now but never got the chance.

But as soon as I walked into the neighborhood grocery store and saw green plantains, I knew what dinner would be this weekend!  I was so excited.  Of course, this recipe is a little indepth.  It requires time, patience, and reading the directions.  Usually, I have none of these things but at least on Saturdays I do have time. 

We didn't have those great little mofongo cups you see all over Puerto Rico (in the restaurants AND souvenir shops) but serving it in any large dish and building a cup for your meat is the way to go here.  The spicy tomato sauce sinks into the luscious plantain, well, it is just a treat!  And if you've never had it, I couldn't think of why you'd pass up the opportunity to give it a try.
Chicken Mofongo (adapted from Cooking Light)
Serves:  2
3 plantains
1 teaspoon salt
2 strips bacon
2 tablespoons garlic, minced
6 ounces chicken stock, divided
1/2 pound chicken breasts, diced
1 onion, diced
1 green pepper, diced
1 red pepper, diced
6 ounces tomato paste

Slice the plantains into 1-inch cuts and place in a large bowl.  Add salt and enough water to cover the plantains fully.  Let sit 15 minutes.  Meanwhile, bring a large pot to boil.  Drain the plantains and boil for 15 minutes, until slightly tender though not mushy. Meanwhile, cook the bacon strips over medium heat in a thick-bottomed skillet until crispy.  Remove and crumble into a large bowl.  Mix with garlic. 

Drain the plantains and pat dry.  Saute the plantain slices in the bacon grease until golden brown on each side 3-5 minutes.  If you need more oil, supplement with a few tablespoons of vegetable oil.  Add the plantains and half of the chicken stock to the bacon-garlic mixture and using a potato masher, mash until the plantain mixture resembles mashed potatoes. 

Meanwhile, using the same skillet, brown the chicken.  Add the onion and peppers and saute 3-5 minutes.  Add the remaining chicken stock and tomato paste.  Simmer until the sauce is thick, 7-10 minutes.

Place the plantains in a large bowl and make a large dent in the middle.  Spoon in the chicken and serve immediately.

Until the next time my oven is on...