Recipes Mashed Plantains (Machuca de Plátano) 1 Review This recipe, which exemplifies the Caribbean influence in the food of Veracruz, comes from Raquel Torres's wonderful collection of Afro-Cuban recipes, La Cocina Afromestiza en Veracruz.Plus: More Vegetable Recipes and Tips By Zarela Martinez Zarela Martinez Facebook Twitter Website Zarela Martinez is a Mexican chef, author, restaurateur, food television host, and product developer. She and her son, celebrity chef Aarón Sánchez, host the podcast Cooking in Mexican from A to Z.Expertise: Mexican regional cuisines.Experience: Mexican-born Zarela Martinez rewrote the story of Mexican cuisine in the U.S. when she opened her game-changing New York City restaurant Zarela in 1987. This legendary dining spot replaced ignorant culinary stereotypes with brilliant, fearless explorations of regional Mexican specialties embedded in their own distinctive contexts. Zarela is the author of Food from My Heart, The Food and Life of Oaxaca, and Zarela's Veracruz, which was also the companion to a 13-part PBS television series. In 2013 she was inducted into the James Beard Foundation's Who's Who of Food and Beverage in America. In the same year, Harvard's Schlesinger Library acquired her unpublished papers, an invaluable documentation of a lifetime dedicated to enlightening food-lovers everywhere about Mexican cuisine and culture. Food & Wine's Editorial Guidelines Updated on May 25, 2017 Print Rate It Share Share Tweet Pin Email Yield: 4 Ingredients 3 large yellow plantains, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks 1 1/2 cups water 2 to 3 jalapeños—stemmed, seeded and finely chopped 2 garlic cloves, minced 3 tablespoons unsalted butter 1 medium white onion, coarsely chopped Salt Directions Put the plantains and water in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Cover and cook over low heat until the plantains are just tender when pierced with a fork, about 10 minutes. Uncover and cook over moderate heat until most of the water has been absorbed and the plantains are completely tender, 10 to 15 minutes longer; don't let the plantains burn. Using a potato masher, mash the plantains in the saucepan until a slightly chunky puree forms; add a few tablespoons of water if the mixture is too stiff. In a mortar or using the side of a chef's knife, mash the jalapeños and garlic to a coarse paste. Melt the butter in a small skillet. Add the jalapeño paste and cook over moderately high heat until fragrant and just beginning to brown, about 2 minutes. Add the onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the seasoning mixture to the mashed plantains and cook, stirring, until heated through. Season with salt and serve. Rate it Print