For this chorizo plantains in the oven recipe, Tim and I were inspired by an episode of Guys Grocery Games on The Food Network. The contestants were given the very challenging task of formulating a mouthwatering recipe using pork, chocolate and pot pie.
A savvy young chef put together a baked plantain with ground chorizo. I thought it looked awesome on tv so we decided to experiment. Boy am I glad we did.
When I tasted our version, I was ecstatic. I had never tasted a baked plantain which is considered a starch. It had unique flavors and we will definitely be making this one again.
What is Chorizo?
Chorizo is usually well seasoned, chopped or ground pork sausage used in various Spanish and Mexican cuisine. I love using chorizo in fajitas or in soft tacos.
Where to buy chorizo sausage?
When we decided to make this chorizo plantains in the oven recipe, we assumed we would have to make a trip to one of our specialty or Mexican food stores. We were pleasantly surprised that our local Kroger store was well stocked with our prized ingredient.
We were so relieved because our Kroger is about a mile from our house.
How to cook ground chorizo?
We opted for ground chorizo sausage for our recipe. To make our masterpiece, we simply sautéed it in a skillet over medium heat for about 5 minutes. We added jalapeno pepper, green pepper, red pepper, garlic, and adobo spice for additional flavors.
What do plantains taste like?
Plantains look just like and oversized banana. That’s where the similarity ends.
Uncooked plantains are inedible. Kind of like potatoes. No one eats raw potatoes right?
After we browned them, it took on the flavor of corn bread or potatoes. We topped our plantain boats with sour cream guacamole and salsa. The dish had a definite south American inspired taste.
Are plantains healthy?
If you are watching carbs, you should know that plantains are heavy in carbohydrates. A medium sized cooked plantain is somewhere between 48-58 g of carbs. Because of the high level of carbohydrates in plantains, this would make an excellent, replenishing, post workout meal.
There are many health benefits to the plantain it is a good carb full of fiber high in vitamin a and vitamin c. It is an excellent source of magnesium and potassium and helps stabilize blood sugar. But instead of causing cravings to consume carbs you become satisfied from a modest amount and stay full longer than you would with a flour tortilla.
How to bake Plantains
This was a two-step process. First we lined the plantains in a skillet over medium high heat until brown. Each side took about 5 minutes. After, sautéing, we dried them off with a paper towel.
Next, we slit each plantain from top to bottom to create a pocket, filled with cheddar cheese and then the chorizo filling and then finished them off by baking them in the oven for an additional 20 minutes. This ensured that the plantains were thoroughly cooked.
Finishing the Chorizo Plantains in the Oven
For our recipe we decided to top each plantain boat with a heaping scoop of sour cream, salsa and guacamole. The result was a mouth-watering medley of South American flavors.
This has now become a staple recipe in our household.
