Plantain

Cuban maduros, or fried sweet plantains, are an essential side at photographer Romulo Yanes’ table. The best are made with very ripe plantains, which have peels that are mostly black. Slideshow: More Plantain Recipes

Cooking with plantains is an easy way to switch up your starchy sides. They look like bigger versions of bananas that are harder to open. But, once you get inside, the fruit is slightly sweet with a starchy texture that works well when fried, roasted, sautéed or baked. Here, our best recipes.

Plantains are abundant all over the Caribbean, and one popular way to eat them is to pan-fry the sweet banana-like slices until they're warm and tender.    Delicious, Quick Side Dishes  

Lourdes Castro teaches students how to fry plantains for perfect tostones.    Latin American Recipes  

These crispy, cheese-stuffed bites are the kind of Mexican comfort food chef Sue Torres cooks. "You can stuff the mashed plantains with lots of fun things, like chorizo, beans or shrimp," she says. The key to their success is finding ultraripe plantains, "so black and soft and sweet that you think you should throw them out." As with bananas, underripe plantains ripen more quickly when placed in a paper bag.    More Mexican Recipes  

Plantain chips are great with chicken and salsa, but tortilla chips can be a good substitute. Plus: More Chicken Recipes and Tips