Countries › Ecuador › Tigrillo con Queso - creamy green plantain mash with cheese

Tigrillo con Queso - creamy green plantain mash with cheese

A dish of creamy mashed green plantains with cheese, eggs, butter, milk, onions, garlic and cilantro.

15 min

Prep

45 min

Cook

4

Serves

Ingredients

Other

large green plantains4 pieces

2-3 tbs of butter or oil (can also use achiote oil)1 pieces

5-6 scallions (separate the bottom white part from the green parts, finely chop both parts and keep separate)1 pieces

1-2 garlic cloves (crushed (optional, add if you want additional flavor))1 pieces

½ teaspoon of achiote powder1 pieces

½ cup milk or the water from cooking plantains1 pieces

eggs (whisked with a little bit of salt)4 pieces

of grated or crumbled cheese (I used a mix of grated mozzarella and crumbled queso fresco)8 ounces

of chopped cilantro2 tablespoons

Salt to taste1 pieces

Fried egg1 pieces

Avocado slices1 pieces

Aji hot sauce1 pieces

Ecuadorian sal prieta ((ground peanut seasonig mix))1 pieces

Chicharrones ((crispy fried pork belly chunks))1 pieces

Bistec de carne ((steak pieces sautéed with tomato, bell peppers and onions))1 pieces

Method

Peel the green plantains, cut them into large slices (3-4 per plantain).

Place the plantain chunks in a pot with lighted salted water and bring to a boil.

Boil for about 30 minutes or until the plantains are soft. Exact time depends on how green and fresh the plantains are.

Once the plantains are cooked and soft, remove them from the pot and put them into a wide bowl – save the water they cooked in. You can test a piece by removing it and trying to mash it with a fork. If it’s easy to do mash it then it’s done, if it’s still hard let them cook until softer.

Use a wood or metal masher to smash the plantains – do this while they are still hot. You can also use a fork or the bottom of a bowl or cup. It’s okay to have a few chunky pieces, but most of the plantains should be mashed smoothly. As you are mashing the plantains you can add a few tablespoons of the water they cooked in to help keep the mix soft and moist.

Heat the butter or oil in large skillet or sauté pan, add the chopped white parts of the scallions. You can also add the crushed garlic and the achiote powder if you using it. Cook until soft.

Add the mashed plantains the pan and stir well.

Add the milk or water from cooking the plantains. Mix well and cook – while stirring- for a couple minutes.

Add the whisked eggs, mix and cook – while stirring – for about 10 minutes. The consistency should be soft and slightly gooey, if it starts to get dry then add additional cooking water from the plantains or milk.

Add the grated/crumbled cheese, mix well.

Adjust thte consistency if needed or to your preference, you can add extra milk if you want a creamier consistency.

Taste and add salt if needed. Take into consideration how salty the cheese is.

Add half of the chopped cilantro and the green parts of the scallions. Mix well.

Serve immediately. Served sprinkled with the remaining chopped cilantro and extra cheese if you want.

You can also serve it with a fried egg on top, for full meal with some bistec de carne al jugo (steak pieces sautéed with bell peppers and onions), avocado, hot sauce, peanut sauce or sal prieta (a seasoning condiment made with finely ground toasted corn with ground peanuts).