ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Mofongo is on the menu in the latest installment of the Chef’s Kitchen at WEPA Cocina de Puerto Rico in St. Petersburg.

In case you don’t know mofongo is made from green plantains-- that banana cousin. It’s fried twice, mashed and molded into an egg-shaped ball. It’s the starch of the recipe “Mofongo with Shrimp and a Salsa Criolla finished with coconut milk and toasted coconut shavings.”

And what’s salsa criolla? It’s a Caribbean red sauce.

It’s all in honor of Hispanic Heritage Month. 

And here’s how you cut and peel a plantain.

You’ve gotta soak it in warm water first, according to Chef Sal Montalvo.

“Kind of warm up the sap that’s in that peel,” Montalvo explained.

Chef chops off the ends first, and then he uses the tip of his knife to cut the peels into about five sections. 

And they peel right off.

Chef cuts the plantains into one-inch slices and fries them. Then using the flat side of a large meat tenderizer, he smashes them into little discs and refries them.

After that, they are seasoned and smashed up in a mortar and pestle into a silky consistency.

Chef molds the mash into an egg shape and places in a bowl and smothers it with the Shrimp and Salsa Criolla. He finishes it off with toasted coconut shavings 

Salsa Criolla

6 shrimp, peeled

2 oz. light olive oil

1 oz. diced onion

1 oz. diced green pepper

1 oz. diced red pepper

1 minced garlic clove

Minced fresh coriander

1 oz. diced roasted red pepper

1/2 tsp. tomato paste

3 oz. clam juice

3 oz. coconut milk

Salt and pepper to taste

Coconut flakes, toasted

Directions

Put your saucepan over a medium heat to begin.

Add oil and sweat your onions and peppers for a few minutes. 

Then, salt and pepper your dish and add your garlic. 

Add the tomato paste next and mix in well.

Add clam juice, shrimp and coconut milk.

Bring to a boil, and the shrimp will cook in a few minutes—literally one minute on each side.

The sauce will also reduce

Take off heat after shrimp are ready.

Garnish with coriander.

Mofongo

2 whole green plantains

1 crushed garlic clove

1 oz. light olive oil

1 tsp. white vinegar

Directions 

Prepare green plantains as described above.

Add the rest of the ingredients into the mortar and pestle before the final mashing.