Description
A comforting and authentic Puerto Rican dish featuring crispy garlic shrimp served over a hearty mofongo base made from fried green plantains and pork cracklings. Quick and easy to prepare, perfect for weeknight dinners.
Ingredients
Scale
- 4 large green plantains
- 6–8 garlic cloves, peeled
- ½ cup pork cracklings (chicharrón), chopped
- 1 lb (450g) large shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 4 tbsp (60g) unsalted butter
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- ⅓ cup (80ml) chicken broth
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
- Optional: hot sauce or crushed red pepper flakes
Instructions
- Peel the green plantains by cutting off the ends, slicing through the skin lengthwise, and peeling it off. Cut into 1-inch chunks. Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat.
- Fry the plantain chunks in batches until golden and tender, about 4-5 minutes per side. Use a slotted spoon to transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain.
- In a mortar and pestle or large bowl, combine fried plantains, chopped pork cracklings, 3 minced garlic cloves, 2 tbsp butter, and about ⅓ cup chicken broth. Mash together until chunky and sticky. Add more broth if needed.
- In the same skillet, melt 2 tbsp butter with 3 minced garlic cloves over medium heat. Add shrimp, season with salt and pepper, and sauté until pink and opaque, about 2-3 minutes per side. Add crushed red pepper flakes if desired.
- Shape the mofongo into individual mounds or balls on plates. Top generously with garlic shrimp. Sprinkle with fresh parsley and drizzle with leftover garlic butter from the pan.
Notes
Do not rush frying the plantains; they should be golden, not burnt. Use fresh garlic for best flavor. Avoid overcooking shrimp to prevent rubbery texture. Rest mofongo a few minutes before shaping. If reheating, add butter or broth to keep moist.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Puerto Rican
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 mound of mofongo w
- Calories: 420
- Fat: 18
- Carbohydrates: 40
- Fiber: 5
- Protein: 30
Keywords: garlic shrimp, mofongo, Puerto Rican, Boricua, seafood dinner, plantains, authentic, easy recipe