BRAISED PLANTAINS WITH CILANTRO AND LIME (for 4 to 6)

The plantains need to be just ripe for this recipe.  Seek out yellow skinned ones with a few brown, not black, spots.

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 medium onion, chopped

1 garlic clove, finely chopped

½ to 1 teaspoon serrano chile, finely chopped, including seeds, to taste

salt

¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

4 yellow plantains, peeled and cut into 8 pieces each

1 cup canned, reduced sodium chicken broth

3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

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1.   Heat oil in a 3 quart heavy saucepan over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking.  Add onion, garlic, chile, 1 teaspoon salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is softened and golden, 6 to 8 minutes.  Add plantains and stock and bring to a simmer.  Cover pan and simmer until plantains are very tender, 12 to 15 minutes.

2.   Gently stir in cilantro, lime juice and salt to taste.  (The plantains can be braised in the stock up to 1 day ahead and refrigerated, covered.  Reheat over medium heat until heated through, then gently stir in cilantro, lime juice and salt to taste).

from Ruth Reichl, Gourmet Today