The Institute (協会)

The Spanish translation of Anthony Bradley is "Buena Gente" - Good People. We need 30,000 or so to move everywhere. That would be cool. FYI Brad: I can't seem to get mon-fongo in New York or Puerto Rico either. Every time I order it, the waitress says, "We don't have mon-fongo. We only got mo-fongo." It's mo-fongo, Brad! Ha! But I aint' mad at ya! You are good people! Viva Brad!

MERRY CHRISTMAS BRAD!

MOFONGO

(Makes about 3 medium size balls)

3 green plantains
1 tablespoon crushed garlic
1 tablespoon olive oil
½ lb. chicharrón or cooked bacon (crumbled)
Vegetable oil for frying

Monfongo is made by mashing tostones (twice fried plantains) with garlic, olive oil, and chicarrones or bacon.

To make tostones

Peel the plantains, slice into 1-inch pieces on a bias or slant.
Fry in about an inch of vegetable oil, over medium low heat until tender in the middle - that's about 3 minutes on each side, they will be just golden. Remove from the oil and drain on paper towels.
Now that all the pieces have been fried the first time you will need to either use a tostonera to slightly mash them down or mash them by hand. To mash by hand, cut a piece about the 5" x 5" from a brown paper sack (grocery store sack), then fold this piece of paper in half, put a piece of plantain in the middle, and using a small saucer squish it down. Don't squish it too hard, just flatten it a bit. Repeat this procedure until all the plantain pieces have been flattened.
Now fry the chicharron or the bacon in a bit of olive oil until crispy and crumble the pieces in a mortar or pilón - set aside.
Now you are ready to refry the tostones for the second time. In the same olive oil that you fried the bacon fry the tostones over medium high heat until they are crispy, which is about 2 minutes on each side. Drain on paper towels.
While they are frying mash the garlic in the pilón or mortar and pour over the crumbled bacon.

Now you are ready to make the mofongo.

Mash the tostones, a few at a time in the pilon, adding a little bit of the garlic mixture. You will have to work a few slices at a time. When all done mix all the batches together for even distribution of seasoning. Add salt if needed. This is a side dish that needs to be served warm. Keep forming balls until mixture is all used up.

Serve with fried pork meat and fried onions….. yummy!

Use this same recipe to make "Bolitas de Mofongo" to add to stews. Shape the mixture into balls and drop in any soup.

Also, I use Brad, short for Bradley, as a term of endearment. I know that your first name is Anthony.

Viva Anthony!

Happy New Year, Anthony!

aeroman,

Haha, thanks for the correction. . .it was a typo for sure (i do that a lot). I've eaten plenty (though not enough) mofongo the last couple of years that I should know better. The first time I had it was in San Juan. That's when the love affair for the dish began.

And THANKS so much for the recipe. One day I'll be brave and try it!! Of course if were more puerto ricans or nuyoricans in St. Louis that would be even better.

Calling me Brad is fine, by the way.

Hey, if you have any ideas about how I can get 50,000 Puerto Ricans to St. Louis I'm all ears!!

Aero, cuidate mucho!!

Antonio...Miami is still waiting for you. Even Broward County and I make a mean Mofongo hermano!

haha, liz, yeah, Miami would be somewhat of a natural place for me. . .the next time I'm there I'd love to have some of your mofongo for sure!!

Me gusto mucho mofongo con lechon o con mariscos!!

Hello and I was very interested in monfongo recipe/the meal we had in Puerto Rico when we went 2 months ago was a monfongo ball but inside it was octupus/shrimp and I don't know what else. do you think you could find the recipe of what I'm talking about...My boyfriend is puerto rican and I want to surprise him...Thank you for any help..

sincerely,
Pearl