Day 10: The Dominican Republic

Mangú Con Los Dos Golpes

Before we start, I’d like to say that normally you would have mangú con los tres golpes, but I don’t like to eat pork and couldn’t find Dominican salami, so I just left out the third “golpe.”

Mangú con los dos golpes translates from Spanish into: mangú (boiled and mashed plantains) with the two hits. While normally a breakfast meal, it can be eaten anytime of day. This dish combines the two histories of the Dominican people: African and Latino. The plantains clearly show Africa’s influence on the Dominican Republic, while the fried cheese, egg, and avocado are more connected to the DR’s Latino roots. This connection is why I find cooking so fascinating and really wanted to do this project. Through food, one can figure out a lot about a peoples’ cultural history.

Now, to the cooking:

Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 4 Plantains
• 1 red onion, sliced into rings
• salt, to taste
• 1 cup white vinegar
• 5 cups water
• 2 cups vegetable oil
• 12 slices Dominican frying cheese, (queso de freir)
• 1 cup flour
• 18 slices Dominican salami, (salami frito)
• 6 tablespoons butter
• fried eggs
• avocado, sliced

Step 1: Place the sliced onions in a medium bowl with a heavy pinch of salt and vinegar. Let soak while preparing the other ingredients.

Step 2: Peel the plantains and cut into quarters. Place the plantains in a large pot with enough water to cover them. Add salt to taste. Bring the plantains to a boil over high heat and cook until they are very tender. This should take about 30 minutes.

Step 3: While the plantains are boiling, take a deep skillet and heat the oil to 350°F over high heat. As I mentioned in my falafel blog, you know that the oil is ready to fry when you stick in a wooden spoon and bubbles slowly rise from the bottom.

Step 4: Coat each slice of Dominican frying cheese in flour, and then place the slices in the oil and fry until both sides are golden brown, about 3 minutes. Remove from skillet and transfer to a paper towel-lined plate.

Step 5: Wipe out the skillet, and add another tablespoon of oil to the pan. Pour in the onions and their soaking liquid. Sauté until the onions are soft and bright pink.

Step 6: Once the plantains are tender, scoop them out from the water and place in a separate large bowl, and keep the starchy boiling liquid warm on the stove.

Step 7: Add the butter and about 1 cup (240 ml) of the hot starchy plantain liquid. Mash the cooked plantains together until it is creamy and smooth. Add more liquid as needed.

Step 8: Serve the mangú with the fried cheese, avocado, and fried eggs. Garnish with pickled onions.