Patacones...A Typical Costa Rican Dish (and one of my favorites!)

Today in my cooking class, we made patacones. This is one of my favorite dishes here. It can be a side dish or the main meal, depending on how much you make and how hungry you are!

Patacones
Plantains
Cooking Oil
Salt

Peel and cut plantains 1" thick. Place in hot oil in skillet. When bottom half of plantain has changed color, turn over. When the whole piece has changed color, take out of skillet. Press flat. Return to skillet and cook in oil on both sides. Add salt to taste. Serve with guacamole, pico de gallo, cheese and/or beans.









Beans
Mashed Black Beans - 1 to 2 cans
Garlic - 6 or 7 cloves
Cooking Oil
Sugar
Coffee
salsa inglesa - Lizano

Dice garlic and sauté in pot. Add canned beans and stir. Mix in a spoonful of sugar, a heaping spoonful of coffee, and two spoonfuls of salsa inglesa. Stir. Add dash of cooking oil if too thick.


Pico de Gallo
Tomato
Onion
Cilantro
Lemon Juice

Finely chop tomato, onion and cilantro. Mix together. Add lemon juice to taste.