Orange Glazed Plantains

Do you like plantains? Have you ever tried to make them at home? Following a visit to Grenada years ago, making great plantains became a goal of mine. This staple in Caribbean cuisine is versatile, inexpensive, and delicious.

I always like to get ripe plantains at the store. These are not that ripe; I prefer them to browner on the outside, sort of like a banana you almost wouldn’t eat.

I have prepared plantains a few ways, sometimes spiced with jerk chicken. Today’s “recipe” has them glazed in orange juice and served aside black beans. To start, I cut the plantains on a diagonal.

I added them to a little bit of oil on medium heat and left them alone to brown.

I repeated the same for both sides of the plantains and then added about a cup of orange juice and a drizzle of honey to the pan. I simmered them in the orange juice for about fifteen minutes until it reduced a little and the plantains were softer, then served beside some spicy black beans.

I love bringing flavors of vacation home with me, and these plantains were definitely a taste of the islands.

Do you have a favorite recipe or ingredient you have brought home from a vacation?