Mofongo con Camarones

Ingredients

• 5–6 green plantains
• 4 tablespoons (1⁄2 stick) salted butter
• 1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined (set aside 12 shrimp with tails left on for garnish) 1⁄2 cup olive oil, plus more for drizzling
• Salt and ground black pepper to taste
• 1⁄2 bunch cilantro
• 11⁄2 cups chicken broth, divided
• Vegetable oil, for deep frying
• 6 garlic cloves, peeled
• Juice of 1 lime

Instructions

1. 1
   First, peel and slice your plantains. Cut off both ends of each plantain. Then, with the tip of your knife, cut a shallow slice down the length of the plantains at each ridge. Slide the tip of your knife between the plantain flesh and the peel to loosen, then remove the peels in strips. Slice your plantains into 11⁄2-inch-thick pieces, then set aside.
2. 2
   Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the shrimp, drizzle with olive oil, season with salt and pepper, about 1⁄4 of your chopped garlic and add most of your chopped cilantro (reserve some cilantro for garnish). Cook until the shrimp are opaque and just cooked through, about 1-2 minutes per side, then transfer to a plate to cool.
3. 3
   To make the sauce, add most of the broth to the pan, turn the heat down to low, and bring to a simmer. Taste and adjust for seasoning, then cover to keep warm.
4. 4
   Pour the vegetable oil into a deep fryer or large, heavy-bottomed pot and heat to 350 degrees F. Add the plantains and fry, turning them after a couple minutes, about 3-4 minutes on each side. Check for doneness with a fork. You are looking for a nice golden color and your plantains to be cooked all the way through. You don’t want to fry your green plantains too fast or hard–make sure they cook completely but don’t become too crisp to mash. Once your plantains are fried, set aside on paper towels to drain.
5. 5
   Mash the garlic cloves in a mortar and pestle—no cheating! This is the traditional way and the only way to make mofongo. Put the mashed garlic in a bowl, add the olive oil and remaining 1⁄2 cup chicken broth, and season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
6. 6
   Reserve 12 whole shrimp for garnish, then cut the remaining shrimp into small pieces.
7. 7
   Mash the fried plantains, 5 or 6 pieces at a time depending on the size of your mortar, with some of the broth-oil mixture, so that your mofongo is not dry. Transfer to a plate or bowl and mash in some of the shrimp pieces. Continue until you have mashed all of the plantains and shrimp.
8. 8
   Fill six small ramekins with the mashed plantain and shrimp mixture and invert them onto small serving plates. Drizzle the pan sauce on and around the mofongo. Garnish each serving with 2 reserved tail-on shrimp and some cilantro, then drizzle fresh lime juice over the top.