Recipe(tried): Plantain Soup (Sopa de Platanos)

Source: Puerto Rican Cooking, by Vivian D vila, Castle 1988.

3 green plantains
vegetable oil

For the stock:
1 lb. lean beef
1 beef bone
1 onion
3 garlic cloves
1 green pepper
1 sweet chili pepper (ajicitos dulces)
1 tb salt
8 cups water

Wash meat & bone. Cut the beef in cubes. Simmer the beef & bones in the water for about 1 hour, covered.

Seed the peppers, peel the garlic 7 onions. Chop the peppers, garlic & onion. Uncover the pot & add the vegetables already chopped. Bring again to a boil for a few minutes. Reduce heat to LOW, cover & let simmer for 1 to 2 hours. Strain the broth & reserve.

While the broth simmers, peel the plantains & cut in 1 inch slices. Soak them in salted water for 10 to 15 minutes. Heat the oil in a skillet or deep fryer to about 350 F. Remove the plantains from the salted water, drain & add to the hot oil (you must be very careful with this step because the oil & the water will splash). Fry the plantains for 10 minutes, remove from the oil & drain on paper towels. Crush the fried plantains in a mortar or a Mojalquete. Add the mashed plantains to the broth & cook in medium flame for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Serve this delicious soup over white rice in a soup plate.